Donald Trump

Kansas got $451 million from a Biden administration grant for "Broadband Equity, Acess and Deployment." But after the Trump administration told states to rethink how to spend the money, Kansas rolled back its proposal.

Less than a year from the midterms, state and local voting officials from both major political parties are actively preparing for the possibility of interference by the Trump administration. In Missouri, the Justice Department made an unprecedented demand to investigate voting machines, access old ballots and more.

At the Kansas City offices of the Social Security Administration, Chandler McGinnis answered customer calls throughout the shutdown, without pay. She heard from parents worried about feeding their kids, and from patients denied cancer treatment after being kicked off Medicare. “It was emotionally tearing me down, because I want to fix it and I can't.”

Kansas Republican leaders couldn't rally enough support this fall for a special session on redistricting. It's just one example of lawmakers pushing back on a new round of partisan gerrymandering.

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.