Politics and Government News

Stay updated with the latest political and government news. MPR News covers local, state and national politics, providing in-depth analysis and updates on policies, elections and governmental actions.

How covering your face became a constitutional matter: Mask debate tests free speech rights
President Donald Trump and his Republican allies have repeatedly called for masks at protests to be banned and for protesters wearing masks to be arrested. Meanwhile, legal experts and First Amendment advocates are warning of a rising number of laws banning masks being wielded against protesters and their impacts on people’s rights to protest and privacy amid mounting surveillance.
What to know about debate over protesters and ICE agents wearing masks amid immigration crackdowns
People fearful of being arrested for wearing masks while protesting immigration raids in Los Angeles and other cities have voiced anger over Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents covering their faces.
Minnesota lawmakers consider security measures after Hortman killings
The assassination of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark has thrust the issue of how best to protect elected officials back into the spotlight. Lawmakers are grappling with how to protect themselves while not “fencing off the voice of people” in democracy.
Court blocks Louisiana law requiring schools to post Ten Commandments in classrooms
The ruling marked a win for civil liberties groups who say the mandate violates the separation of church and state, and that displays would isolate students — especially those who are not Christian.
Mike Lee's posts about the Minnesota shootings incensed fellow senators. They refused to let it go
Sen. Mike Lee posts thousands of times, often late at night, about politics. Colleagues have grown accustomed to the Utah Republican’s online persona, mostly brushing it off. That is, until this past week, after his posts about the killing of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband incensed fellow senators.
Pentagon says Iranian nuclear capabilities are 'devastated' after U.S. strikes
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave new details Sunday morning about the U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear sites.