Mizzou safety Trajen Greco (4), right, covers wide out Cayden Green (19)

(The Center Square) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday temporarily allowed the Trump administration to maintain an order placing restrictions on mail-in voting. 

The administration's order, issued in March, would direct the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to curate lists with the names of all citizens at least 18 years old in each state who are eligible to vote. The order would require the U.S. Postal Service to check the lists before sending out mail-in ballots. 

"This internal directive does not regulate the States’ voter registration processes," justices on the high court wrote. "Nor does it impinge on the States’ authority ‘to create and enforce a legal code’ for elections.'"

A federal judge in Massachusetts issued an order on July 25 blocking the Trump administration from implementing the mail-in ballot restrictions nationwide. A group of 23 states and the District of Columbia sued to prevent the order from going into effect. Judge Indira Talwani allowed all 23 states to be exempt from the order. 

Solicitor General John Sauer argued that the lists have yet to be implemented in any state and the order should not be valid, since there was no harm incurred by the involved parties.

"The respondent States have not suffered any cognizable injury caused by the Executive Order, because the Order itself does not affect their election processes at all, and it is entirely speculative whether and how any agency implementation may do so," Sauer said. 

Lawyers for the states said the administration could not move forward with an order this close to Election Day in the 2026 midterms. 

"Requiring that plaintiffs wait to challenge the EO’s implementing actions would cause them significant hardship and, as a practical matter, threaten to insulate the EO’s unlawful directives from judicial review before the upcoming elections," the lawyer's wrote. 

Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor opposed the high court's decision to move forward with the mail-in ballot order. The three liberal justices said the majority's decision does not address fundamental issues in the case that must be decided. 

"The Government has admitted that the lists 'might be used solely to facilitate this sort of post-election law-enforcement activity,'" Sotomayor wrote. 

Further legal challenges to the president's order are expected over the coming weeks that would prevent it from being implemented. 

(The Center Square) – A coalition of education and union groups sued the Trump administration, seeking to block a rule that would impose time limits on visas for international students, exchange visitors and foreign journalists.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, seeks to block a Department of Homeland Security rule from taking effect Sept. 15. The coalition argues the changes could disrupt international students’ education and discourage foreign students from coming to the United States.

Under the rule, F visas for international students and J visas for exchange visitors would be limited to four years, and I visas for foreign journalists would be limited to 240 days.

The plaintiffs, led by organizations like the NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration and the American Federation of Teachers, argue the rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act because it is arbitrary and capricious and was adopted without adequate procedural notice or consideration.

“They will discourage foreign students and other nonimmigrants from coming to the United States, repelled by the intolerable prospect of losing lawful immigration status partway through their studies. Students will lose opportunities, schools will lose talent, and the public will lose billions of dollars of economic contributions supported by one of the United States’ top exports: education,” the lawsuit states.

Miriam Feldblum, president and CEO of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, said in a statement that the new limits could interfere with students’ ability to complete their programs and make the United States less competitive in attracting international students. 

“This latest assault on knowledge by the Trump administration arbitrarily limits how long international scholars have to complete their studies and risks turning a welcoming environment for students into a hostile one,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said in a statement. 

The lawsuit comes as the Trump administration has moved to impose additional restrictions on immigration and foreign nationals in the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security says the regulation eliminates the “duration of status” policy that allowed foreign students, exchange visitors and media representatives to remain in the United States without a fixed end date, subject to maintaining their status.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the rule, saying foreign students have been admitted indefinitely for decades, allowing some to “abuse our immigration system by perpetually enrolling in courses to avoid having to leave the U.S.”

The White House deferred to DHS for comment, but The Center Square did not get a response in time for publication. 

The Center Square reached out to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration and AFT for a comment but did not receive a response.

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump said Monday he would impose 50% tariffs on all Canadian cars, trucks, auto parts and steel on Jan. 1 as leaders in Ottawa vowed to retaliate against the U.S. import taxes.

The move deepens a trade war that escalated over the weekend. Trump's earlier 50% tariffs, which took effect Saturday on a range of Canadian goods including wine, cheese, cement and electronics, largely exempted autos and steel.

Trump's Jan. 1 threat would raise tariffs on Canadian autos and auto parts to 50%, while Canadian steel already faces a 50% tariff under a separate law. Talks broke down Friday, and Prime Minister Mark Carney has said Canada will hit back "dollar for dollar" beginning Sept. 8.

No federal agency has published an estimate of what the tariffs cost the U.S. importers who pay them or the consumers who may bear higher prices. The White House has detailed the harm it says Canada's trade barriers did to U.S. exporters, including a 22% drop in U.S. auto exports to Canada, or $5.6 billion, over the year ending in March, and an 81% drop in alcohol exports, or $582 million, but has issued no projection of the cost to Americans.

While no federal figure exists, independent analysts have measured the broader tariff program the Canada duties belong to. The Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan tax-policy nonprofit, estimates President Trump's tariffs will raise taxes by an average of $840 per U.S. household in 2026. The Yale Budget Lab, a nonpartisan policy research center, puts the figure at about $1,100. The Tax Foundation pegs the Section 338 Canada duties alone at about $16.1 billion in affected imports a year.

In a Truth Social post Monday, Trump wrote that tariffs on "all Cars, Trucks, both large and small, Automotive Parts, and Steel" would rise to 50% on Jan. 1, adding, "Build in the U.S. and there are ZERO TARIFFS."

Trump said Canada "will be treated like a State no longer," a reference to his repeated suggestion that Canada join the United States. The existing Section 338 duties carry a 50% ceiling, the maximum the statute allows. Canadian steel already faces a 50% tariff under Section 232, while Canadian autos and parts are taxed at lower Section 232 rates. The administration has not said which authority it would use for the proposed January increase.

Despite the "motor vehicles" label, the Section 338 duties now in effect exempt finished cars, trucks and their parts, along with steel, aluminum, lumber and pharmaceuticals. Those are covered instead under Section 232, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection guidance. Also exempt: energy, potash, fish and critical minerals. The 50% tariff applies to other covered Canadian goods not otherwise exempt.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who led the talks, played down the impact, telling CNBC the duties cover "about 5%" of what Canada sends the U.S. and amount to just "0.06%" of overall U.S. consumption. Asked what that 5% costs the U.S. importers who pay the duties or the consumers who may bear higher prices, USTR did not respond by deadline.

Business groups warned of higher costs. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said new tariffs would "drive up costs for U.S. families" and risk the "13 million American jobs" tied to the North American trade pact. The Aluminium Association of Canada said U.S. buyers already pay $1,500 to $2,000 more per ton than European customers.

Canadian leaders vowed to retaliate. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, in a radio interview, said Trump "can kiss my ass" and floated an export tax on the electricity his province sells into the U.S. Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien urged Ottawa to tax energy and potash exports, arguing "it's not us who pays, it's the Americans." Many of the goods they named, including energy, potash and critical minerals, are some of the same commodities the U.S. exempted from its own tariffs.

Vice President JD Vance, speaking in Maine on Monday, leaned into the statehood taunt. "Canada is a state. Sorry, Freudian slip," he said, before accusing Canada of treating Chinese goods more favorably than American ones. Neither he nor the president put a number on what the escalating tariffs will cost Americans.

The Center Square) – Some evacuation orders west of Reno have been lifted as more than 900 firefighters continue to battle the Hawk Fire, which burned just over 15,000 acres and led to the initial evacuation of about 90,000 residents.

The fire began around 11:30 a.m. Saturday near the Hawk Meadow Trail in the Somersett area and spread rapidly due to high winds.

Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency over the weekend.

"This is an active and rapidly evolving situation, and I urge everyone in the affected areas to remain vigilant and follow the direction of local officials," the Republican governor said in a news release. "The state is fully engaged, and we are working alongside local authorities and first responders to deploy every available resource."

Conditions have begun to stabilize.

"The current footprint is holding within that 15,000-acre spread," Chris Buckley, a U.S. Forest Service public information officer, told The Center Square. "We've lifted some of those evacuations in the Somersett area where the fire started, so those people are being let back in."

No fatalities have been reported, though six to seven injuries have been confirmed. 

Portions of U.S. 395 between Reno and the California state line remain closed.

Ground and air crews are focusing on strengthening perimeter containment lines and extinguishing hot spots. Still, firefighters face ongoing challenges with hot, dry weather and no significant rainfall forecast for the Reno area this week.

Officials are holding daily live-streamed briefings at 2 p.m. on the Hawk Fire 2026 Facebook page.

"We have a community meeting tonight as well," said Buckley. "That's going to be in downtown Reno."

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of State is rescinding Syria’s state sponsor of terror designation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday.

“Today, I authorize the formal rescission of Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST), following the conclusion of the mandatory 45-day Congressional notification period,” the secretary wrote in a statement. “I have also delisted Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). These actions represent another historic step by President Trump to give the Syrian people a path to prosperity.”

The Middle Eastern country has been designated a state sponsor of terror since Dec. 29, 1979, followed by Iran in 1984, North Korea in 2017 and Cuba in 2021.

Rubio noted the Trump administration’s move to “provide sanctions relief for the benefit of the Syrian people” over the last year. Trump welcomed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to the White House in November 2025.

The Syrian president’s ascension to power was not without controversy, as a former member of al-Qaeda turned stateman. He headed the Hay’at Tahrir al Sham group, which was “delisted” as a terror group.

The U.S. has leaned on Syria to continue the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), after the U.S. completed its full military withdrawal from the country in April, marking more than a decade of fighting against ISIS.

Rubio credited the removal of the state sponsor designation in “recognition of the positive actions taken and further commitments by the Syrian government under” al-Sharaa “to fully distance Syria from acts of international terrorism.”

The secretary underscored Syria’s involvement in combating ISIS, as well as Iran’s terror proxy, Hezbollah.

“In the past year, the government of Syria has taken significant steps to counter terrorism, to include formally joining the global coalition to defeat ISIS, al-Qa’ida, Hizbollah, and Iran-aligned groups. Rescinding Syria’s designation as an SST and HTS’ designation as an SDGT eliminates the final major barriers for private sector investment in Syria and promotes Syria’s economic recovery and reintegration into the global economy,” Rubio concluded.

Syria earned its designation under the leadership of former President Hafez al-Assad, remaining under his son, Bashar al-Assad, before his government was overthrown in 2024. The younger Assad has reportedly found refuge in Russia since his government was overthrown.

(The Center Square) - U.S. lawmakers and industry leaders are pushing for a national framework to govern self-driving cars and increase domestic manufacturing.

Leaders spoke at an event hosted by Axios in Washington, D.C., while drivers raced through the nation's capital during qualifying rounds for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.

Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Indiana, called for movement on the SELF DRIVE Act, legislation that would put self-driving cars under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s authority, require more crash data sharing and increase safety requirements.

Houchin said the federal government needs to move forward with legislation because of the role self-driving cars play in interstate commerce.

“The roadway doesn't stop at the state line,” Houchin said. “This is going to be a really important piece of legislation to enable self-driving cars all across the United States.”

Houchin said the pace of the congressional calendar has prevented federal clarity of self-driving car regulation to be put in place.

“There's a lot of things on the agenda that we have a limited window to accomplish before this Congress ends in December,” Houchin said. “I think it's a factor of time, not willingness, necessarily.”

Houchin also called for an increase in domestic vehicle manufacturing and steeper regulations on foreign adversarial nations. She supported a ban on cars sold in the United States that were manufactured in China.

“It's a concern with China being an adversary of ours to have some of this tech that we may or may not know what's coming into the country,” Houchin said.

Noriya Kaihara, executive vice president of Honda, said the company is working to further collaborate with the Trump administration’s efforts to increase domestic car manufacturing. He touted the importance of the North American Free Trade Agreement as a resource for manufacturing funds but called on renewed trade agreements in the region. 

“The trilateral agreement between the U.S., Mexico and Canada will enable us to produce all the products which are affordable to our customers,” Kaihara said.

Kaihara said hybrid vehicles are key to the future of automobile production in the United States. He said demand for the vehicles has rapidly increased over the last four years, reflected in Honda's sales figures.

“The hybrid system provides value to our customers without changing their lifestyle,” Kaihara said. “Affordability is the key to our customers at this moment. So, we are producing high efficiency vehicles for that."

Kinsey Fabrizio, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, said she is skeptical of the ability for domestic manufacturing to be fully brought back to the United States. She encouraged companies to invest with friendly foreign nations to increase manufacturing reliability while maintaining current efficiency standards.

“Make sure that you are working with other friendly partner countries that are democracies and have the same ideals and workforce scenarios that you want for your company and look into those relationships as well,” Fabrizio said.

She said future manufacturing in the United States will be dependent on robotics and automated technology.

Fabrizio also said self-driving cars are at an inflection point in the United States and praised Houchin’s calls for a federal framework on the technology.

“When you don't have a framework, you have 50 different states that companies have to try to comply with,” Fabrizio said. “It's really challenging. It's costly. It's confusing. It creates a patchwork approach.”

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(The Center Square) — Vice President JD Vance touted a manufacturing "renaissance" Monday during a visit to a Maine factory, where he highlighted the Trump administration's economic policies and stumped for Republican candidates ahead of the high-stakes midterms.

The vice president on Monday delivered remarks in Brewer, Maine, at Compotech, a defense technology manufacturer, where he boasted of a comeback of manufacturing and industrial operations in response to the administration’s "America First" economic and trade agenda.

"We’re seeing the foundation laid for a manufacturing renaissance," Vance said from the stage, with supporters behind him holding "defend our future" signs. "Factory construction and employment has exploded. Workers at places like Compotech are reaping the benefits." 

Vance also defended the trade war with Canada in his remarks Monday, saying Maine was getting a raw deal from its northern neighbor under the current trade system. 

“I think that we need to send a message loud and clear to the prime minister of Canada: Stop taking advantage of the people of Maine," Vance said. "Stop taking advantage of America. It’s over, we expect fairness in our trade policy." 

The visit was Vance's second to the Pine Tree State in the past month and is also aimed at shoring up former Republican Gov. Paul LePage's congressional bid and incumbent GOP Sen. Susan Collins reelection campaign. Maine is among a handful of battleground states that could decide control of Congress in the midterms. 

Vance mentioned LePage several times during his remarks at the Brewer factory, saying he "is going to make a great congressman for the state of Maine." LePage faces Democratic state Auditor Matt Dunlap in the Nov. 3 election.

"This is not a politician who punches the card," Vance said in his remarks. "This is a guy who loves this state. When he was the governor of the state, Maine went from a place that couldn't pay its own Medicare bills to a state with huge budget surpluses. Paul used those surpluses to cut your taxes, tamp down on welfare fraud and eliminate a shortfall in Maine's pension system. He stood up for you." 

Collins, a five-term moderate Republican seeking re-election in the blue-leaning state, didn't attend Monday's rally. The GOP senator has criticized the Trump administration's decision to set 50% tariffs on Canada over the weekend. Collins also didn't attend the vice president's previous visit. 

Her Democratic rival in the upcoming midterms, logger and former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, posted a video message Monday with a previous clip from Vance "giving a shout out to Susan Collins."

"Yeah, let's give a shout out to Susan Collins. How about giving income tax cuts to the wealthiest people in this country while our healthcare system in Maine is collapsing," Jackson said. "How about fuel prices going through the roof because of the Iran war? Yeah, let's give a shout out to Susan Collins for the poor job she is doing for the state of Maine." 

The National Republican Committee said the vice president's visit was also meant to highlight the contrast between Maine Republicans and their Democratic opponents in the midterms.

“President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Republicans are committed to pro-growth, America First policies that benefit workers and their families, while Augusta Democrats have been letting Mainers down for years," RNC spokesperson Kristen Cianci said in a statement. "Maine deserves strong Republican leaders, not weaklings with a clear record of incompetence like Matt Dunlap and Troy Jackson."

(The Center Square) – With just one month until absentee ballots go out in Michigan, state Republicans gathered at their nominating convention over the weekend to solidify their nominees.

Michigan Democrats will gather this weekend to do the same.

This comes as highly-contested races fill the ballot from the top to the bottom, with Michigan voters facing choices in the U.S. Senate race, the first open gubernatorial race since 2018, and numerous other statewide and local contests.

As a swing state, Michigan’s elections are often viewed as a bellwether for voters’ attitudes toward the two major parties nationwide.

This year, both parties are taking that seriously, pouring millions of dollars into races across the Great Lakes State.

U.S. Senate

The U.S. Senate race is considered especially important, as the outcome of the race will play a role in determining which party controls the 120th Congress.

Of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate, 33 are up for regular election in 2026, along with two special elections. Democrats currently hold 13 of the seats on the ballot, while Republicans hold 22.

In 2024, Michigan’s U.S. Senate race was decided by less than half a percentage point, with U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin narrowly defeating former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers. Rogers is running again this election cycle as the Republican nominee after receiving the party’s backing unopposed.

On the other side of the aisle, Democrats were divided during the primary between progressive Abdul El-Sayed and establishment-backed U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens.

After winning the primary on Aug. 4, El-Sayed has now turned his attention toward Election Day.

Rogers has received the endorsement of President Donald Trump and recent polling shows El-Sayed and Rogers statistically tied within the margin of error, with El-Sayed ahead 45.8% to 45%. That is according to the average of the last five polls compiled by 270toWin and a shift from before the primary, when polling showed Rogers beating El-Sayed.

Governor

In the gubernatorial race, U.S. Rep. John James will face off against Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

James was first elected to the U.S. House in 2022, after two unsuccessful campaigns for U.S. Senate in 2018 and 2020, and for governor in 2022.

A veteran and businessman, James is running on a “Freedom Agenda.” His platform prioritizes ethics reform and transparency, ending fraud and waste, and passing a parents’ bill of rights. He has received the endorsement of Trump.

James received the unanimous backing of the Republican nominating convention over the weekend.

“The Republican Party was founded in Michigan to defeat slavery and hold this nation together,” James said. “Today, fellow patriots, you are here to answer the call again– this time to defeat extremism and hold this state together.”

Also at the convention, James announced his decision to officially nominate state Representative Jay DeBoyer, R-Clay Township, to serve as his running mate for lieutenant governor. DeBoyer was also unanimously nominated by the Republican delegates.

“Jay is a proven conservative leader who knows how to get things done and together we will fight to put Michigan families first,” James said.

Across the aisle, Benson has received widespread Democratic support. She announced last week that she will move forward with state Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, as her running mate for lieutenant governor.

“As lieutenant governor, Winnie will draw on her wealth of legislative knowledge to help implement our plans to lower costs and raise wages for Michigan families,” Benson posted to social media. “She's the right partner to help lead Michigan forward and I’m proud to have her join me in the fight for a brighter, more affordable future.”

Election Day is on Nov. 3, which is in 71 days. Absentee ballots go out on Sept. 24, which is in 31 days.