The Intelligence from The Economist Democracy on ICE? The mood turns in America
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Jan 30, 2026 
Anne Rowe, obituaries editor, remembers Mark Tully’s decades reporting in India. Noah Snyder, East Asia bureau chief, reports on Kim Jong Un showcasing his daughter and regime symbolism around succession. Charlotte Howard, New York bureau chief, analyzes rising backlash to the administration’s immigration tactics and congressional pushback. Short, topical scenes covering protests, courts and shifting political signals.
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Congress As A Fragile Check
- Congressional resistance has emerged as a key institutional check on the administration's immigration tactics.
- That resistance is fragile and currently the only clear leverage against the president's ICE campaign.
A Tactical De-Escalation, Not A Policy Reversal
- Tom Homan's arrival in Minneapolis signals a toned-down public approach but not a wholesale policy retreat.
- The administration still funds a large ICE expansion and plans broader deportation efforts.
Legal Clash Over Immigration Powers
- The administration's immigration campaign raises constitutional and federalism questions across multiple amendments.
- Courts face a growing test as the president increasingly ignores judicial orders.