Border security has been a defining issue in American politics for decades. The 2025 Budget Reconciliation legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), implements significant changes in U.S. border policy. In this brief, we describe these new initiatives and update our data on border encounters.

Many countries in the world have several active political parties that citizens can choose from when voting. Why does the United States only have two major political parties?

The 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill spans over 1000 pages. This legislation includes thousands of changes in government policy. In this brief, we focus on just one part of the enacted bill: Title I on Agriculture, Subtitle A: Nutrition. This single subtitle includes 7 distinct sections, each affecting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).