A surge in voluntary departure agreements in immigration courts is raising concerns that Trump administration tactics are unfairly pressuring immigrants into leaving the United States, even if they have a legal right to stay.

The State Employees Association of North Carolina has a simple explanation for the raft of vacant positions in state government: poor pay.

House Republican leaders did not advance the measure Wednesday after Tuesday’s protests at the legislature, saying it needs additional work.

Large, immigrant-rich cities saw their populations shrink between mid-2024 and mid-2025 after nation-leading increases the year before. In their place, midsized cities led in population growth in the latest U.S. Census data.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued waivers this year to allow extended sales of the blend. E15, often sold at gas stations as Unleaded 88, will be widely available this summer as “the result of ongoing issues in the Middle East, among other events,” EPA said in a statement.

A Quinnipiac University poll published Wednesday showed 50% of voters preferred Democrats won control of the House, while only 39% preferred Republicans.The same survey showed Trump’s approval rating at a second-term low, 34% approval with 58% disapproving. On economic issues, as the price of gas has skyrocketed during the war with Iran, nearly twice as many voters disapproved of Trump’s handling than approved.

The U.S. Postal Service on Friday took its first major step to carry out President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting voting by mail, proposing a rule that would require states to submit lists of voters before mailing ballots.

Former GOP operative Dallas Woodhouse resigns from the NC auditor’s office after early voting site controversies.

North Carolina is reporting 561 cases of cyclosporiasis as of July 20, 2026, but the cause of the state’s growing outbreak remains a mystery. 

Several states have enacted or considered laws this year to increase reporting and oversight of child neglect and abuse. Some of the new laws came after high-profile deaths or abuse cases, with lawmakers citing warning signs such as repeated visits from child services or complaints about unsafe family dynamics. The issue often draws support — even unanimously — across party lines.