(The Center Square) — New York Republican lawmakers are urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to drop her controversial plans to give New York City $1.5 billion to help reduce its budget shortfall.

In a letter to Hochul, Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt and other members of the Legislature's Republican minority caucus call on the governor to scrap her plan to help New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani offset the impact of a projected $5.4 billion revenue gap over the next two years.

The American Border Story on Friday criticized Maryland Democrat Gov. Wes Moore for signing a bill into law that bars police cooperation agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Moore signed the bill on Tuesday. The legislation does not preclude isolated instances of cooperation, but requires the termination of any formal arrangements by July. It also does not prevent local law enforcement from turning over illegal immigrants in government custody to ICE.

Amid a Winter Olympics shadowed by war, sanctions and partisan rhetoric, the clatter of skates on ice, swoosh of skis on snow and gasps from enthusiastic crowds have emerged as the central theme of the Games.

The world’s most prestigious winter sporting event had an inauspicious start earlier this month: there were protests in Milan about the inclusion of ICE agents within the U.S. security team, and Vice President JD Vance was greeted by hisses and boos when he appeared at the Olympic opening ceremony. 

Congressional scrutiny is intensifying over alleged billions in welfare fraud in Minnesota, with House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan accusing state officials of assisting the scheme.

Jordan said in an recent interview that Minnesota Democrats will face increased scrutiny in the coming months.