Donald Trump

Missouri's governor recently authorized the state's National Guard to assist ICE with clerical duties. Black police officers fear the trust they've built with communities of color could take years to rebuild.

President Trump signed a bill to fund the government through the end of January, ending the shutdown that has dragged on for six weeks. Missouri and Kansas Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while Democrats had voted against.

Opponents argue the Missouri Constitution is clear that lawmakers can only redraw congressional maps after a certified census, while the state said nothing prohibits mid-decade redistricting.

Brittany Melugin, an IRS customer service agent in Kansas City, has been working even during the shutdown began Oct. 1. Melugin says she and her colleagues are experiencing anxiety dreams, and are afraid of taking time off even for serious medical needs.

While courts have halted the use of troops in Portland and Chicago, operations are well underway in other cities. The Missouri National Guard has been authorized to help ICE with administrative duties, but troops have yet to be deployed to St. Louis.

KCUR asked to hear from Missouri and Kansas residents who voted for President Trump about how his second term is going for them. Voters said they support Trump's approach to law enforcement and immigration, but aren't convinced about his use of tariffs.

The administration's appeal to the high court over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program comes despite new efforts to end the federal shutdown, which would render the issue moot.

In the summer, Texas drew new lines to help Republicans win in the midterm elections. Missouri followed suit. California countered this week. But even with Kansas backing off, Republicans might have an edge in the redistricting battle as it spreads nationally.

In failing to fully fund the food assistance program that covers 42 million low-income Americans, the judge said the government "failed to consider the harms" to people who rely on the benefits. Kansas City-area food banks and nonprofits were struggling to meet demand.

The setback means passing new congressional maps will be difficult. However, the effort to make it harder for Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids to hold her seat will return next year.

As the government shutdown stretches its way into the record books, Americans are feeling its worsening impacts. Many of Kansas City's 30,000 federal employees remain furloughed or working without pay.

About 1 in 8 U.S. residents get an average of $187 a month per person in the food assistance known as SNAP. For the first time, the Trump administration stopped the payments due at the beginning of the month.