For those of us keeping score at home of President Trump’s shifting rationales for war this past weekend, one of his more striking claims is that bombs were dropped in Iran to protect the right to protest. Trump—who infamously mused about shooting American protestors during his first term—has not exactly shied away this time around from aggressively, if not forcefully, repressing dissent in his own country.

Criminal justice and immigration reform are facing unprecedented threats during the 47th presidency. From mass deportations and a more punitive approach to charging and sentencing to a weaponized Department of Justice and a constitutional showdown with the courts, Vera's researchers and policy experts are tracking this administration's actions and making meaning of the latest developments out of Washington and its impact across the country.

Download our one-page explainer that details what the administration is doing, it’s impact, and the ways to get involved.

Axios.com | Homicide rates continued to decline in major U.S. cities — by more than 40% in some communities — during the first nine months of the year.

The Trump administration is using an imagined enemy—“antifa”—to justify turning ICE into an ultra-violent, unaccountable army invading US cities.

WSJ.com | Trump granted Changpeng Zhao a presidential pardon last week, likely paving the way for the world’s largest crypto-trading platform to return to the U.S., from where it was banned after the company pleaded guilty in 2023 to violating anti-money-laundering rules.