Federal fallout
Coverage tracking the Lawrence, Douglas County and statewide impacts of changes and cuts at the federal level.
Contact information for the congressional delegation representing Lawrence and Douglas County is available at this link. The nonprofit 5 Calls, 5calls.org, has phone numbers and templates of scripts to help people make their voices heard on several federal issues.
LATEST
ICE agents arrest people in Lawrence and on KU campus, advocates say
ICE agents returned to Lawrence Friday morning and detained people on KU’s campus and elsewhere, according to local immigration advocates.
ICE agents arrest people in Lawrence and on KU campus, advocates say
ICE agents returned to Lawrence Friday morning and detained people on KU’s campus and elsewhere, according to local immigration advocates.
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Tony Webster
Tribal nations, students sue feds over job cuts at Haskell and SIPI
A group of tribal nations and students have filed a lawsuit against federal government officials over the baseless terminations of nearly five dozen people serving Haskell Indian Nations University and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute last month.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Fired Haskell instructors to return on contracts next week
Some of the nearly three dozen Haskell Indian Nations University employees who were terminated without cause due to sweeping federal budget cuts will be returning next week as adjunct professors.
Douglas County commissioners to ask federal delegation to ‘show the fortitude’ to defend democracy
Douglas County commissioners have penned a letter to the four congresspeople who represent the county, asking them to “prevent a single branch of government from becoming too powerful.”
Kansas Republicans punt immigration bill after kicking opponents out of hearing
A Republican-led Senate committee declined Monday to take action on a bill that would prohibit people in Kansas without permanent legal status from receiving public benefits, including in-state tuition, and permit higher bond prices for those charged with crimes.
Nathan Kramer/Lawrence Times
Lawrence community members gather to protest fascism, ‘musky’ government
Around 250 Lawrence community members filled the four corners at Ninth and Massachusetts streets Sunday to express their concerns about the state of America’s democracy.
Kansas senator’s rural town hall meeting swamped by people mad at Trump administration
Republican Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall ended a rural town hall meeting early Saturday after people angry about budget cuts, funding freezes and other actions by President Trump shouted the senator down.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Haskell students, supporters protest firings, demand government keep its ‘Hands off Haskell’
Holdings signs that read “My education is not your budget cut” and “Culture erasure is not progress,” about three dozen people marched Friday morning down Massachusetts Street to South Park in protest of recent firings at Haskell.
City Commission approves contract with Lawrence Community Shelter, including goals to decrease future funding
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday approved a $3.5 million agreement with the Lawrence Community Shelter, with the understanding that LCS is expected to decrease its dependence on city funding.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Haskell Foundation now accepting donations to help support fired employees, fill some roles on campus
A nonprofit organization is now collecting donations to support Haskell Indian Nations University following federally ordered staff and faculty cuts.
Kansans hold virtual town hall for an absent Sen. Jerry Moran to voice concerns about Trump and Musk
About 1,200 people (but not Sen. Jerry Moran) tuned in during a live, 2.5-hour virtual town hall, which featured 32 speakers — farmers, veterans, health care workers, cancer patients, special-needs parents — who voiced concerns over Trump and Musk.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawrence community rallies for Haskell despite barriers to providing direct aid
More than 200 people packed a Lawrence church Friday evening in hopes of helping those who lost their jobs at Haskell Indian Nations University.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Haskell staff, students coping with unknowns following layoffs
Much confusion remains for the Haskell community after roughly three dozen employees were laid off last week, but students and staff intend to push back.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Haskell board asks feds to reverse cuts to workforce, fulfill treaty obligations
The Haskell Board of Regents is calling on the federal government to fulfill its legal obligations to Tribal nations and reverse the cuts to staffing.
KBI director, Kansas attorney general allow agents to work with ICE on immigration cases
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation formally agreed to dedicate agents to enhance collaboration with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the search for people without documentation to legally be in the country.
Kansas protest march, Democratic governor sound alarm on federal DOGE operations
Sarah Melody, of Lawrence, joined dozens of people for a protest march Monday that circled the perimeter of the Kansas Capitol. She held a sign with the message ”No one elected Elon.”
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