The political consequences of this month’s midterms are coming into focus. Democrats are preparing to challenge two pillars of President Donald Trump’s agenda—immigration enforcement and tariffs—while U.S. envoys pursue talks over Russia’s war in Ukraine. Here is where the stories stand on November 13.
Record deportations set up an oversight fight
Immigration and Customs Enforcement carried out 483,200 deportations and made more than 491,000 immigration arrests in fiscal 2026, according to figures announced by the Department of Homeland Security. The deportation total exceeds ICE’s previous record of 442,640 in 2025.[2]
The figures give Trump a measure of how far his crackdown has gone. They also give Democrats a target as they prepare to take control of Congress next year. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the incoming chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, has promised an investigation of the administration’s use of DHS and its immigration policies. An investigation can compel answers, but changing those policies would be a separate legislative fight.[2]
Tariffs face resistance, but Trump retains a veto
Democrats also intend to make rolling back tariffs an early priority. Canada-related duties are emerging as a possible first test, while some Republicans are increasingly uneasy with the administration’s trade approach. A White House official told CNN that negotiations with Canada could include changes to auto duties; Trump had threatened to double tariffs on Canadian cars to 50% starting January 1.[3]
A congressional majority would not, by itself, settle the issue. CNN reported that Democrats and independent allies held 55 Senate seats and 255 House seats with some races still uncalled as of Thursday afternoon. On those numbers, a unanimous effort to override a Trump veto would still need at least 12 Republican senators and 35 Republican House members. The White House says it has no plans to abandon the tariff agenda.[3]
Alaska adds to the Democrats’ midterm gains
CNN projects that former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins will win Alaska’s governor race, making him the first Democrat elected to lead the state in two decades. The result adds another notable win to the party’s midterm showing, though its immediate significance is in Alaska: a change in who will lead the state government.[8]
Ukraine diplomacy advances without a breakthrough
U.S. envoys met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and then held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Dublin, according to AP. The sequence keeps Washington in contact with both sides, but meetings alone do not amount to an agreement on ending the war.[1]
Jared Kushner said the United States is working toward what he called the war’s “largest prisoner exchange,” while acknowledging that significant differences remain after the talks. A prisoner swap would be consequential for the people and families involved; it would not, on its own, resolve the wider conflict.[6]
A food-policy push and an economic signal
The administration is making another attempt to define ultraprocessed foods, according to Politico. Supporters of the Make America Healthy Again movement see a definition as a potential first step toward labeling, but the policy’s final shape remains uncertain. The renewed effort follows Stephen Miller’s appointment as White House chief of staff.[4]
On the economy, new applications for unemployment benefits rose to 200,000 in the week through November 7, from a revised 191,000 the previous week, The Wall Street Journal reported. That is above economists’ expectation of 195,000, though one week’s increase is too little to establish a lasting change in the labor market.[7]
References
- AP top stories November 13 | AP News — https://apnews.com/video/ap-top-stories-november-13-a52107be8cfb40e1bdb6edf497670300
- US reports record number of deportations and arrests in 2026 | Al Jazeera — https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/11/13/us-reports-record-number-of-deportations-and-arrests-in-2026
- Trump’s tariffs face a new threat: Republicans | CNN Business — https://www.cnn.com/2026/11/13/economy/trumps-tariffs-new-threat
- Trump administration makes another push at MAHA priority | POLITICO — https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/13/ultraprocessed-food-policy-gains-new-momentum-under-miller-a-maha-ally-01163831
- Kushner says US working toward ‘largest prisoner exchange’ of Russia’s war in Ukraine | Reuters — https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/kushner-says-us-working-toward-largest-prisoner-exchange-russias-war-ukraine-2026-11-13
- Print Edition | The Wall Street Journal — https://www.wsj.com/print-edition/20261113/us
- Democrats pick up win in Alaska after midterms shellacking for GOP | CNN Politics — https://www.cnn.com/2026/11/12/politics/video/democrats-pick-up-win-in-alaska-after-midterms-shellacking-for-gop-lcl
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