BORDER AGENT at Miami airport (Shutterstock).
Federal immigration agents have begun to arrest foreign citizens with expired U.S. travel visas at airports.
According to The New York Times, the tactic is for ICE agents dressed in plain clothes to confront targeted travelers at check-in counters and arrival gates. At least 15 airports have been the site of such operations recently.
The number of people arrested in this new approach is unknown, but a large number of people – estimated at “hundreds of thousands” overstay their visas each year.
Some of the arrests were done quietly; images of some others were captured on cell phone cameras and videos posted on social media.
Supreme Court support drops
Public approval of the performance of the U.S. Supreme Court has fallen to a record low according to a new Gallup Poll.
United Press International is reporting that the court now has an approval rating of 33 percent, down from 39 percent in 2025.
The biggest part of the decline is among Republicans, whose approval has declined from 79 percent to 58 percent.
Approval by Democrats is at 12 percent and among independents at 35 percent, basically unmoved since last year.
The polls was conducted among 1,200 adults between July 1-19 with a 4 percent margin of error.
California ranked 35th “best”
The Golden State isn’t so golden in the minds of some people. U.S. News & World Reports’ “2026 Best States Rankings,” released today placed California 35th overall, a modest improvement from 37th last year.
THE GOLDEN GATE Bridge in San Francisco backlit by the flames and smoke from Northern California wildfires (Flickr/Christopher Michel).
That rating included number 7 in health care and 25th in .education, but 36th in crime and corrections, 44th in fiscal stability and 27th in natural environment, according to USA Today.
The biggest mark against the state was affordability, as the state was dead last in 50th. Home prices were a key factor in the low rating.
For example, the price for a mid-tier home is about $775,000, more than twice the national average.
The “best” state was Utah, followed by New Hampshire, Idaho, Minnesota and Nebraska. Among the more populous states, Florida was sixth, New York 22nd, Texas 29th and Illinois at 36th.
Weather: Hot, but not scorching
The temperatures in our West Orange County cities will be warm right into the weekend, but a bit cooler than the previous week. The forecast for Wednesday calls for a daytime high of 83 with an overnight low of 66 under partly cloudy skies. Thursday is expected to warm a bit to 85 (67) with partly cloudy skies, Friday will see another high in temperatures to 88 (68) with mostly cloudy skies. Saturday will peak at 89 (68) and partly cloudy.
Great Thoughts (money)
“The money you have gives you freedom; the money you pursue enslaves you.”
– Jean-Jacques Rousseau
“Money is a terrible master but an excellent servant.”
– P.T. Barnum
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”
– Epictetus
