The Latest: Congress returns as government shutdown looms

Congressional Republicans scored a massive victory this summer when they passed President Donald Trump’s tax and spending cuts without a single Democratic vote. But as they return to Washington this week after a monthlong August recess, they will have to find a way to work with Democrats — or around them — as a government shutdown looms.

The annual spending battle will dominate the September agenda, along with a possible effort by Senate Republicans to change their chamber’s rules to thwart Democratic stalling tactics on nominations. The Senate is also debating whether to move forward on legislation that would slap steep tariffs on some of Russia’s trading partners as the U.S. presses Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine.

In the House, Republicans will continue their investigations of former President Joe Biden while Speaker Mike Johnson navigates a split in his conference over whether the Trump administration should release more files in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

Also, the president is set to make “an announcement” at 2 p.m. ET, which has led to broad speculation from Americans skeptical of the president’s physical health. The president’s public schedule often includes unspecified announcements — in August, two such instances turned out to be appearances with the president of FIFA about the World Cup and another with Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Here's the latest:

Judge rules Trump’s use of National Guard in Los Angeles illegal

Judge Charles Breyer in Washington ruled that the Trump administration violated federal law by sending troops to accompany federal agents on immigration raids.

California sued, saying the troops sent to Los Angeles over the summer were violating a law that prohibits military enforcement of domestic laws.

Lawyers for the administration have argued the Posse Comitatus Act doesn’t apply because the troops were protecting federal officers, not enforcing laws. They say the troops were mobilized under an authority that allows the president to deploy them.

Stiffer Russia sanctions are sought

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of Trump’s closest congressional allies, has pushed the president for months to support his sweeping bipartisan sanctions bill that would impose steep tariffs on countries fueling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by buying its oil, gas, uranium, and other exports.

The legislation has the backing of 85 senators, but Trump has yet to endorse it, and Republican leaders have so far said they won’t move without him.

Graham has stepped up his calls after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskyy last month in hopes of a peace deal. Since then, Russia has continued to step up attacks on Ukraine.

“If we don’t have this thing moving in the right direction by the time we get back, then I think that plan B needs to kick in,” Graham said of his bill in an interview with The Associated Press last month.

Senate nominations fight looms

Senators are returning to Washington right where they left off in early August — fighting over Trump’s nominees.

Exasperated Republicans fled for the month after making little headway as Senate Democrats forced delays in confirmations, angering Trump as many of his administration’s positions remain unfilled.

Republican leaders called it quits after a rare Saturday session that ended with a breakdown in bipartisan negotiations and Trump posting on social media that Chuck Schumer could “GO TO HELL!”

Republicans now say they’re ready to try and change Senate rules to get around the Democratic delays, and are expected to spend the next several weeks discussing how that might work.

GOP needs Democratic votes to keep government open

The most urgent task for Congress is to avoid a government shutdown on Sept. 30, when federal funding runs out. Just how Republicans and Democrats will be able to agree on this remains unclear.

Congress will have to pass a short-term spending measure to keep the government funded for a few weeks or months while they try to finish the full-year package. But Republicans will need Democratic votes to pass an extension, and Democrats will want significant concessions.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s vote with Republicans to avoid a shutdown in March prompted furious backlash within his party.

Complicating the negotiations, Republicans rescinded about $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting funds and Trump notified Congress that he will block $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid. “Trump is rooting for a shutdown,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., posted on social media Friday.

Trial nears for man accused of trying to kill Trump in Florida

A man charged with trying to assassinate President Donald Trump last year in South Florida is set to represent himself during a pretrial conference on Tuesday, as final preparations are made for trial.

Barring any delays, jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in Fort Pierce federal court for the case against Ryan Routh. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon signed off on Routh’s request to represent himself in July but said court-appointed attorneys need to remain as standby counsel.

The trial will begin nearly a year after prosecutors say a U.S. Secret Service agent thwarted Routh’s attempt to shoot Trump as he played golf. Routh, 59, has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.

ICE is arresti

ng parents hoping to retrieve their children from custody

Trump’s administration has started requiring parents looking to reunite with their children who crossed into the U.S. alone to show up for interviews where immigration officers may question them, according to a policy memo obtained by The Associated Press.

Neha Desai, managing director of human rights at the National Center for Youth Law, said the change provides U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a “built-in opportunity” to arrest parents while the children remain in custody — something she said has already happened.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not confirm that or answer questions about the July 9 directive, instead referring in a statement to the Biden administration’s struggles to properly vet and monitor homes where children were placed.

Immigrants are disappearing from the U.S. labor force

Trump’s stepped-up immigration policies have resulted in a loss of 1.2 million immigrants from the nation’s labor force from January thru July, according to preliminary Census Bureau data analyzed by the Pew Research Center. That includes legal residents as well as people in the country illegally.

Immigrants make up almost 20% of the U.S. workforce — 45% of workers in farming, fishing and forestry; about 30% of all construction workers, and 24% of service workers, according to Pew senior researcher Stephanie Kramer.

The number of people in the U.S. illegally reached an all-time high of 14 million in 2023. Now it's declining. New illegal border crossings have plunged as Trump makes good on his campaign promises.Most people detained by ICE for deportation have no criminal convictions.