Amy Qin

The Save Our Signs project, launched by University of Minnesota librarians, is mobilizing hundreds of volunteers to photograph and archive signs at more than 400 US national parks and historic sites. The effort began after the Trump administration directed the National Park Service to identify and remove signs concerning slavery, Indigenous history, climate change and other subjects deemed ideologically corrosive. Volunteers have submitted more than 17,000 photographs, documenting signs before and after alterations at sites including the National Mall, Fort Sumter and Independence National Historical Park. The future of the signs remains uncertain as litigation continues: a lower court ordered their reinstatement, but an appeals judge later suspended that requirement. Organizers say the archive will preserve both the historical information and evidence of the government’s censorship campaign.

Government data shows US immigration agents made 43,138 arrests in June, the highest since Donald Trump took office, as detentions reached more than 65,000 people. Enforcement has shifted from high-profile operations to quieter, routine arrests at workplaces, homes, traffic stops and mandated ICE check‑ins. Communities remain on alert after multiple fatal shootings by immigration officers, prompting leadership changes at the Department of Homeland Security. ICE had failed to publish required biweekly data since early April, a delay attributed by DHS to government shutdowns and criticized by lawmakers, advocates and researchers.

More than 1,600 Department of Energy webpages offering guidance on energy savings and heatwave preparedness have been removed as the US faces extreme temperatures. The deletions align with the Trump administration’s proposed rollback of appliance efficiency standards, a move critics say will increase energy costs and strain the electrical grid. Analysis shows several webpages were removed shortly after New York City urged residents to limit air conditioner use and just before the administration announced plans to weaken regulations. Advocacy groups argue that the removals obscure valuable public information and form part of a broader deregulatory push outlined in Project 2025 aimed at weakening climate and consumer protections.

National park staff reported widespread removal and alteration of historical and scientific signage under the Trump administration, reflecting efforts to suppress references to slavery, racism, Indigenous history, and climate change. A leaked database of nearly 2,000 flagged materials revealed inconsistent guidance and pressure on employees to anticipate content deemed politically objectionable. A court-ordered inventory confirmed at least 60 signs removed across 38 parks, prompting legal challenges that resulted in a federal injunction halting further removals and ordering restoration of stripped signage. Critics warn the campaign reverses decades of progress toward acknowledging marginalized histories, while some staff used the mandate to highlight outdated or discriminatory existing content. The controversy underscores long-standing tensions over historical representation in national parks and the broader implications of government-directed censorship.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau removed more than 2,200 pages from its website under the Trump administration, a move advocates say is part of a coordinated effort to weaken the agency. Acting director Russell Vought, a key proponent of eliminating the CFPB, has halted enforcement actions, attempted mass firings, and reduced public transparency. Deleted materials include years of press releases, advisories, testimonies and multilingual resources, limiting access to consumer information as complaint volumes reach record highs. Critics argue the actions undermine accountability and consumer protections while advancing industry interests and reversing regulatory safeguards.

Volunteers in the Data Rescue Project are archiving federal datasets deleted or altered under the Trump administration, focusing on climate, health, and LGBTQ information. More than 800 participants worldwide have preserved thousands of items, uploading them to the University of Michigan’s DataLumos repository and adding metadata for public accessibility. As deletions have slowed, efforts now emphasize long-term data resilience and prioritizing at-risk datasets. The movement includes librarians, programmers, academics, and activists motivated by concerns over government censorship and the loss of essential public information.

Federal datasets across multiple agencies have been removed or restricted under the Trump administration, hindering the ability to track chemical hazards, maternal and infant health, hunger, LGBTQ youth well‑being and climate‑driven disasters. Experts warn that the loss of these long‑standing data sources will undermine public health interventions, environmental protections, anti‑hunger programs, insurance risk modeling and targeted support for vulnerable populations, while reducing public transparency and weakening government accountability.

Millions joined No Kings protests across the US and globally to oppose Donald Trump’s policies, including immigration raids in Minnesota, military actions in Venezuela and Iran, and threats to civil rights. Fourteen protesters in multiple cities described fear, motivation and solidarity, highlighting growing mobilization in response to federal actions.

Eight million people joined more than 3,300 No Kings protests across the US and globally, marking the largest single-day protest count in US history. Demonstrators opposed the Trump administration on issues including immigration enforcement, the war in Iran, economic pressures, and threats to voting rights. Major gatherings occurred in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, and numerous smaller and conservative-leaning areas. Political figures, activists, and celebrities addressed crowds, while counterprotesters appeared in some locations. The White House dismissed the demonstrations as partisan attacks. Organizers stressed that No Kings Day is part of broader ongoing efforts to mobilize opposition to Trump administration policies.