Politics and views in the United States.

Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2025 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

I will restore integrity to the Justice Department and I will fight violent crime throughout this country and throughout this world and make America safe again.

America's new Attorney General Pam Bondi hit the ground running on her first day in office, reinstating the federal death penalty and ordering a freeze on all funding to sanctuary cities.

Following her pledge to avoid politics, a new weaponization working group within the Justice Department will review federal criminal cases brought against President Donald Trump.

A federal judge on Thursday prevented the administration from imposing a deadline on federal workers to resign and accept a payout plan.

A new hearing has been scheduled for Monday.

Meanwhile, a separate federal judge has extended an order that blocks the administration's spending freeze in response to a lawsuit brought by 22 states.

And a third federal judge called Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship "flagrantly unconstitutional" and extended a temporary hold on that policy.

House Democrats have unveiled legislation aimed at securing the personal data of Americans while a group led by billionaire Elon Musk has access to the Treasury's payment system.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York says the bill counters what he calls an out-of-control power grab.

Why does Elon Musk and his minions need access to the names?

Social security numbers, addresses, birth dates, and bank account information of millions of Americans.

Democrats say the bill would limit data access to people with security clearances, which Musk and his team lack.

A White House order that it gets the names of recently hired CIA employees in an unclassified email subject to public release is raising alarms.

The request aligns with President Trump's larger plan to reduce the federal workforce, but former CIA Director John Brennan says the release of the names could compromise the agents.

"This is part of, again, the Trump administration's revenge activities against individuals that may have been hired during the Biden administration."

The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mark Warner of Virginia, calls the order a "disastrous national security development."

Anxiety continues to spread at schools about possible immigration raids.

American Federation of Teachers President Randy Weingarten says when ICE agents go into classrooms the students will be traumatized.

"All children, regardless of immigration status, have the right to equal access to education.

And through the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, it can't be taken away."

Reports say more than 20 children were aboard deportation flights to Colombia last month.

And Trump says a presidential commission will root out anti-Christian bias within the federal government.

Weingarten says two failed assassination attempts made him feel he was divinely protected for some purpose.

I'm Katherine Carley for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.