How Local Police Are Working for ICE, and an Unusual Data Center Dispute

Summary

The Headlines – June 17, 2026

Podcast by The New York Times
Host: Tracy Mumford
Episode Theme:
A look at how local law enforcement is increasingly working with ICE under new federal incentives, an extraordinary dispute around Elon Musk's AI company's data center and air pollution in Memphis, the latest on the Ebola outbreak in central Africa, and a quirky trend in dating apps for fitness enthusiasts.

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1. Local Police and ICE: Cash Incentives and Expanding Cooperation

(00:45–03:44)

Main Points:

• The Trump administration has recruited state and local police to assist in mass deportations by offering cash rewards for cooperation—something not previously done.
• Living in the U.S. without authorization is a civil violation, not criminal, so local police traditionally have no role in immigration enforcement.
• Now, after a brief virtual training, police can inquire about immigration status during routine work and detain non-citizens, pending ICE approval.
• This collaboration, which was once rare and controversial, has “exploded” and now operates in 31 states.
• Field Example: Times reporters rode along with sheriff’s deputies in Wyoming, who detained seven immigrants in one night and earned $1,300 in overtime via federal funds.
• Small Agency Impact: Colebrook, New Hampshire’s police chief reports getting $100,000 in federal funds for making just two ICE arrests.
  • Chief (paraphrased): “It all comes down to community safety.”
• Criticism:
  • Immigrant rights advocates argue police-ICE collaboration actually reduces community safety, as immigrants become afraid to report crimes.
  • Concerns over increased racial profiling.
  • DHS declined to answer detailed questions.

Notable Quotes:

• Colebrook Police Chief:

  “To have the authority to detain someone that may be here illegally. It all comes down to community safety.” (02:45)

• Tracy Mumford:

  “Nationwide, participation in this expanded program has exploded, and de facto ICE officers are now working in 31 states...” (02:20)

Resource:

• Map of state/local cooperation with ICE at nytimes.com (03:38)

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2. Spotlight: New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Steps In

(03:44–04:52)

Main Points:

• Kevin Warsh holds his first press conference as the new Fed chair amidst economic uncertainty and rising inflation (impacted by war in Iran).
• Traditionally, the Fed remains out of politics. President Trump has broken precedent by publicly pressuring the Fed and handpicking Warsh.
• Warsh’s perceived closeness to Trump raises questions about his independence.
  • “We heard that in the confirmation hearings from a lot of Democrats who were questioning just how independent he’s going to be.” (04:37)
• The Fed is expected to hold interest rates steady as it tries to contain inflation.

Notable Quotes:

• Colby Smith (Fed Reporter):

  “One of the labels that [Warsh]'s really had to try to jettison is that he is going to be Trump’s sock puppet.” (04:23)
  “I think that Warsh is going to be coming in with this shadow over his head...” (04:37)

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3. DOJ Sides with Musk’s XAI in Memphis Air Pollution Dispute

(04:52–07:09)

Main Points:

• DOJ intervenes to block a Clean Air Act lawsuit against Elon Musk’s AI data center near Memphis, which uses gas turbines consuming as much electricity as 100,000 homes.
• XAI did not seek permits for turbines, raising environmental concerns, especially given neighboring Black communities.
• The DOJ’s memo argues shutting down the center threatens national security, citing AI’s role in the war with Iran and U.S. “global AI dominance” goals.
  • Also, DOJ asserts the federal government should be able to prevent these “citizen suits” altogether.
• This move is highly unusual; typically, DOJ would side with environmental law enforcement, not the polluter.
• XAI claims the turbines are temporary and exempt from strict regulation.

Notable Quotes:

• NAACP Lawyer (former DOJ):

  “It’s remarkable for the United States to intervene on behalf of a polluter in a case like this. Ordinarily, they would intervene to enforce the law.” (06:56)

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4. Ebola Outbreak: Escalating Crisis in Central Africa

(07:09–09:11)

Main Points:

• Africa CDC warns that the current Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda could become the worst ever; 200 deaths so far (potentially undercounted).
• The response has been hampered by:
  • Late identification of the outbreak;
  • Cuts to U.S. foreign aid;
  • Ongoing armed conflict, resulting in huge displaced populations.
• Public health efforts challenged by community mistrust and rumor; some believe people are injected with Ebola at field hospitals.
• Funeral practices pose additional containment risks (Ebola is highly contagious post-mortem). Aid groups are improvising with body bags featuring clear windows to allow mourning.
• No targeted treatment for this strain yet, but drug trials are underway.

Notable Quotes:

• Africa CDC Head:

  “If we don’t stop this earthquake very soon, it will be even worse than what we had in West Africa.” (07:09–07:18)

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5. Dating App Trends: Fitness Matchmaking

(09:11–10:38)

Main Points:

• Niche dating apps like Surf, Team, and Leg Day target fitness lovers—echoing the “gyms as singles bars” trend from the 1980s.
• The apps emphasize in-person meetups quickly, such as running laps together at hosted events.
• This counters widespread “dating app burnout,” especially among younger users, and seeks to spark meaningful connections beyond endless swiping.
• Major platforms are losing users; fitness apps aim to offer a fresh approach based on shared lifestyles.

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6. Preview: Navigating the AI Future in High School

(10:38–10:47)

Notable Quote:

• New Jersey History Teacher:

  “You control the wheel. You control where things are going. You are not a passenger who’s just sitting there letting AI happen to you. You’re in control of it.” (10:38)

Highlight:

• The next feature will focus on education and AI readiness; listen via the New York Times app.

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Key Quotes Recap

• “To have the authority to detain someone that may be here illegally. It all comes down to community safety.” — Colebrook Police Chief (02:45)
• “I think that Warsh is going to be coming in with this shadow over his head, having to kind of prove that he is going to operate independently as he said he’s going to do.” — Colby Smith (04:37)
• “It’s remarkable for the United States to intervene on behalf of a polluter in a case like this. Ordinarily, they would intervene to enforce the law.” — NAACP’s lawyer (06:56)
• “If we don’t stop this earthquake very soon, it will be even worse than what we had in West Africa.” — Africa CDC Head (07:09)
• “You are not a passenger...You’re in control of it.” — New Jersey Teacher on AI (10:38)

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For more, listen and explore interactive resources at nytimes.com or your podcast platform of choice.

Transcript

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[Tracy Mumford]

from the new York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Wednesday, June 17th. Here's what we're covering.

[Guest or Interviewee]

So the first guy, the guy on the left is from Guatemala. Other guy's from Mexico.

[Tracy Mumford]

Across the country, the Trump administration has been recruiting state and local police officers to assist in its mass deportation campaign.

[Guest or Interviewee]

I said, hey, do you have to have an ID and can I see it? He's like, oh, yeah, no problem. I got my green card. But these guys don't.

[Tracy Mumford]

And the Times has been looking at how that's playing out on the ground. Technically, living in the US without authorization is a civil violation, not a criminal offense, and local police have no responsibility to enforce federal immigration law. But the administration is expanding cooperation between local and federal authorities, and for the first time, the government is offering cash incentives for local law enforcement agencies to sign up and make arrests. After completing a 40 hour virtual training, officers can ask people they encounter in the course of routine police work about their immigration status and take them into custody if they get the go ahead from ice. This kind of arrangement has extended ice's reach far beyond where the agency typically operates. My colleagues recently followed along with sheriff's deputies in Wyoming for a night of traffic stops. The deputies made a few arrests and they detained seven immigrants, earning a combined $1,300 in overtime from the federal government. Nationwide, participation in this expanded program has exploded, and de facto ICE officers are now working in 31 states, though the number of arrests they're making is still relatively small compared to official ICE agents. As the program grows, some big statewide agencies could receive millions for their cooperation. And really small local agencies stand to benefit, too. The chief of the police department in Colebrook, New Hampshire, said they've received around $100,000 in federal funds and they've made two ICE arrests this year. The chief said they would have participated without the money, too, though, because, quote, to have the authority to detain someone that may be here illegally. It all comes down to community safety. Immigrant rights groups and critics of the program say it has the opposite effect. As more police officers work for ice, immigrants may be discouraged from reporting crimes out of fear of deportation. Opponents also say it can lead to racial profiling. The Department of Homeland Security declined to answer detailed questions about the program. You can see a map of where state and local law enforcement are working for [e-mail]. In Washington today, Kevin Warsh will step up to the microphone, face the cameras and give his first press conference as the new chair of the Federal Reserve. He's taking over the role as head of the central bank at a time of deep economic uncertainty, with inflation surging in part due to energy shocks caused by the war in Iran.

[Colby Smith]

I think it's really important to kind of think about the context with which Warsh is stepping into this job.

[Tracy Mumford]

Colby Smith covers the Fed for the Times. She says the central bank has a tradition of staying out of politics, trying to set monetary policy like interest rates for the health of the US Economy without interference from lawmakers or the White House. But that's been tested in the past year as President Trump has repeatedly berated the Fed for not doing what he wanted, and the president hand picked Wash to be the new Fed chair.

[Colby Smith]

One of the things that has kind of dogged him is his close relationship with Trump and questions that have swirled around his ability to operate independently. And one of the labels that he's really had to try to jettison is that he is going to be Trump's sock puppet. We heard that in the confirmation hearings from a lot of Democrats who were questioning just how independent he's going to be. And so I think that Warsh is going to be coming in with this shadow over his head, having to kind of prove that he is going to operate independently as he said he's going to do.

[Tracy Mumford]

Colby says that today the Fed is expected to announce that it's leaving interest rates where they are as it tries to tamp down rising prices. At the Department of Justice, officials have made an unusually aggressive move in a dispute about a massive data center run by Elon Musk's AI Company. The facility, which is just outside Memphis, uses as much electricity as about 100,000 homes. And to help power it, Musk's company, Xai, installed dozens of natural gas powered turbine engines. But XAI never got permits to install the turbines, which can be a major source of dangerous air pollution. So the company was sued by the naacp. The group said that XAI is violating the Clean Air act and that the predominantly black neighborhoods nearby are being harmed. Now, though, the DOJ has stepped in and asked the federal court overseeing the case to throw out that lawsuit against Xai. In a memo signed by the DOJ's third highest ranking official, the agency made a series of arguments. It said that President Trump has made global AI dominance a priority and that turning off the turbines at the plant would threaten national security, noting that Xai's technology had been used in the war with Iran. Beyond that, the DOJ also argued that the federal government should have unchallenged power to stop these kinds of lawsuits altogether. It's basically taking aim at so called citizen suits, which have long been a key tool for environmental groups trying to compel polluters to follow the law. One of the lawyers in this case representing the NAACP who used to work at the DOJ under President Biden told the Times, quote, it's remarkable for the United States to intervene on behalf of a polluter in a case like this. Ordinarily, they would intervene to enforce the law. Xai didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The company has previously argued that the turbines are temporary and exempt from strict permitting requirements.

[Guest or Interviewee]

What is the message? If we don't stop this earthquake very soon, it will be even worse than what we had in West Africa.

[Tracy Mumford]

At an emergency meeting yesterday, the head of the Africa CDC warned that the current Ebola outbreak could become the worst on record if the transmission rate keeps rising. The deadliest Ebola outbreak was in West Africa about a decade ago and killed more than 11,000 people currently in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Uganda, nearly 200 people have died since the outbreak was identified last month, and there have been hundreds more confirmed infections, though officials say that could be a significant undercount. Getting the virus under control has been a major challenge. Experts say this outbreak was identified late, that cuts to U.S. foreign aid have made mounting a response much more difficult, and that armed conflict in the region has displaced millions of people, making the virus even harder to trace. Containment and treatment efforts have also run up against rumors and misinformation. One aid official told the Times that some people have resisted going to the hospital because they believe that patients are being injected with Ebola at treatment wards that foreign aid organizations have set up. And funerals have also become a major point of friction. Traditional burial practices in many areas dealing with the virus involve touching the bodies of loved ones, sometimes bathing them, but the bodies of Ebola victims are extremely contagious. In response, one aid group has started using body bags with clear plastic windows so that families can see the face of the deceased and begin the process of grieving. At the moment, there's no targeted treatment for this particular strain of the virus, and scientists around the world are racing to find one. Trials are beginning on several drugs that have shown promise in preliminary studies. And finally, there is endless debate around the perfect setting for a first date. Do you do coffee? Go to dinner? Maybe just meet up at a bar? Or how about the gym? There has actually been a boom lately in new dating apps dedicated to connecting people who love to work out. One is called Surf. There's also a team, and even one called Leg Day. The idea is to unite people with a shared interest, and for people who are super into fitness, it's often a way of life, something they want to have in common with their prospective partner. The concept is not new. Back in the 1980s, Rolling Stone dubbed gyms the new singles bars, though the etiquette of hitting on people at gyms largely shifted away in the decades since. One thing about these new dating apps is that they're focused on getting people to meet in person as quickly as possible, even partnering with events where people can meet up and run laps side by side the very first time they meet. Beyond just getting people's heart rates up, that in person element is specifically a response to the dating app burnout that's become rampant across the industry. Some of the major platforms are struggling to attract and retain users, particularly younger ones. Basically, people are swiped out and apps are looking at new ways of trying to connect them. Those are the headlines today on the

[Guest or Interviewee]

Daily you control the wheel. You control where things are going. You are not a passenger who's just sitting there letting AI happen to you. You're in control of it.

[Tracy Mumford]

A look at how one high school history teacher in New Jersey is trying to help his students navigate the AI powered future. You can listen to that in the New York Times app or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Tracy Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow.

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