ICE begins to purchase warehouses, but some owners are backing out of deals

ICE begins to purchase warehouses, but some owners are backing out of deals HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTHSat, February 21, 2026 at 1:07 PM UTC 0 A warehouse purchased by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Surprise, Ariz., is seen Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil) () More than 20 town with large warehouses have become stealth targets for Immigration and Customs Enforcement's $45 billion expansion of detention centers. Some communities complain that ICE isn't telling them anything until after it has purchased space for thousands of detainees.

ICE begins to purchase warehouses, but some owners are backing out of deals

HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTHSat, February 21, 2026 at 1:07 PM UTC

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A warehouse purchased by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Surprise, Ariz., is seen Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil) ()

More than 20 town with large warehouses have become stealth targets for Immigration and Customs Enforcement's $45 billion expansion of detention centers. Some communities complain that ICE isn't telling them anything until after it has purchased space for thousands of detainees. In some cases, warehouses owners are refusing to sell.

A look at some of the locations:

Arizona

Local officials were told nothing before ICE purchased a 418,000-square-foot (38,833-square-meter) warehouse in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise for $70 million, the state's top prosecutor, Kris Mayes, said in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Documents later provided by ICE said the Department of Homeland Security estimates it will spend $150 million retrofitting the facility into a 1,500-bed processing site.

Florida

A TV reporter in Orlando spotted private contractors and federal officials last month touring a 439,945-square-foot (40,872-square-meter) industrial warehouse. ICE senior adviser David Venturella told a WFTV reporter the tour was "exploratory."

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said in a statement that the city hasn't been contacted by the federal government and that it has no legal options to stop a possible ICE facility.

Georgia

ICE bought a massive warehouse in Social Circle for $128.6 million. Documents provided to the city by DHS show it has plans for two other buildings as well. Combined, they would total 2.3 million square feet (213,677 square meters).

Plans also are in the works to convert a warehouse in Oakwood into an ICE processing facility, Republican U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde said in a statement, although no deed has been filed. City Manager B.R. White said his first inkling that a deal was imminent came when a warehouse supervisor told a city inspector he'd been instructed to clear the job site to make way for the new owners — the federal government.

Indiana

After the town of Merrillville raised concerns about ICE touring a new 275,000-square-foot (25,548-square-meter) warehouse, owner Opus Holding LLC sent a letter stating it isn't negotiating with federal officials for the property. The letter said Opus was limited in what it could share because of legal issues.

Maryland

ICE purchased a warehouse about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northwest of Baltimore for $102.4 million, a deed signed last month shows. The deed was unearthed by Project Salt Box, a Maryland ICE watchdog.

Officials in Washington County said in a Facebook post that DHS notified them beforehand that it was considering purchasing the warehouse for use as a "new ICE Baltimore Processing Facility." County commissioners later passed a resolution in support of ICE activities.

Michigan

ICE announced its purchase of a facility in Romulus after the deal was completed. The city responded in a Facebook post that officials were concerned about the "lack of prior notification."

Minnesota

The owners of warehouses in the Minneapolis suburbs of Woodbury and Shakopee pulled out of possible ICE deals after public outcry, according to local officials.

Mississippi

Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker posted that Noem agreed to look elsewhere after local elected and zoning officials opposed a possible detention center in the town of Byhalia.

Missouri

After weeks of public pressure, development company Platform Ventures announced it would not move forward with the sale of a massive warehouse in Kansas City.

New Hampshire

Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte sparred with federal officials after ICE disclosed plans to spend $158 million to convert a warehouse in Merrimack into a 500-bed processing center.

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The issue came to a head when interim ICE Director Todd Lyons testified that DHS "has worked with Gov. Ayotte" and provided her with an economic impact summary.

Ayotte said the assertion was "simply not true." She said the summary was sent hours after Lyons testified. The document erroneously refers to the "ripple effects to the Oklahoma economy" and revenue generated by state sales and income taxes, neither of which exist in New Hampshire.

New Jersey

Roxbury said Friday that ICE had closed on the sale of a warehouse despite it offering tax abatements to the owner to stop the purchase.

No property documents were yet available online showing the price of the sale. The announcement came just two days after ICE said it had made a "mistake" when it previously announced the purchase.

"Let us be clear: Roxbury Township will not passively accept this outcome," the mayor and city council wrote in a news release.

New York

ICE said Tuesday it made a mistake when it announced the purchase of a vacant warehouse in Chester. New York state Assemblyman Brian Maher said Friday that ICE is no longer considering the facility.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt announced last month that property owners had informed him they are no longer engaged with DHS about a potential acquisition or lease of a warehouse.

Pennsylvania

DHS purchased a warehouse in Tremont Township for $119.5 million and one in Upper Bern Township for $87.4 million. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has said his administration will fight DHS' plans to convert the warehouses in rural parts of eastern Pennsylvania into immigrant detention and processing centers.

Texas

In the El Paso suburb of Socorro, ICE paid $122.8 million for a trio of warehouses that span 826,780 square feet (76,810 square meters). ICE also paid $66.1 million for a 639,595-square-foot (59,420-square-meter) warehouse in San Antonio. The mayors of both cities are opposed.

However, another deal in the state was scuttled following community backlash. In the Dallas suburb of Hutchins, a real estate company confirmed that it was contacted about one of its properties but wouldn't sell or lease any buildings to DHS for use as a detention facility. California-based Majestic Realty Co. provided no explanation in its statement.

Utah

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall expressed gratitude in her State of the City address that the owners of a warehouse that ICE was eying as a detention facility had announced plans not to sell or lease the property to the federal government.

Virginia

Jim Pattison Developments said in a statement last month that it became aware of the intended use of a warehouse in the suburbs of Richmond, Virginia, after agreeing to sell to a U.S. government contractor. Following boycott threats, the Vancouver-based company announced that the transaction "will not be proceeding."

___

reporters Holly Ramer, Isabella Volmert and Marc Levy contributed to this report.

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ICE begins to purchase warehouses, but some owners are backing out of deals

ICE begins to purchase warehouses, but some owners are backing out of deals HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTHSat, February 21, 2026 ...

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ICE is quietly buying warehouses for detention centers and leaving local officials out of the loop

ICE is quietly buying warehouses for detention centers and leaving local officials out of the loop HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and MORGAN LEE Sat, February 21, 2026 at 1:06 PM UTC 0 1 / 0Immigration Detention GeorgiaA newly built warehouse is seen on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in Social Circle, Ga., where officials are concerned about U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement's plans connected to a $45billion expansion of immigrant detention centers.

ICE is quietly buying warehouses for detention centers and leaving local officials out of the loop

HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and MORGAN LEE Sat, February 21, 2026 at 1:06 PM UTC

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1 / 0Immigration Detention GeorgiaA newly built warehouse is seen on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in Social Circle, Ga., where officials are concerned about U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement's plans connected to a $45-billion expansion of immigrant detention centers. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) ()

SOCORRO, Texas (AP) — In a Texas town at the edge of the Rio Grande and a tall metal border wall, rumors swirled that federal immigration officials wanted to purchase three hulking warehouses to transform into a detention center.

As local officials scrambled to find out what was happening, a deed was filed showing the Department of Homeland Security had already inked a $122.8 million deal for the 826,000-square-foot (76,738-square-meter) warehouses in Socorro, a bedroom community of 40,000 people outside El Paso.

"Nobody from the federal government bothered to pick up the phone or even send us any type of correspondence letting us know what's about to take place," said Rudy Cruz Jr., the mayor of the predominantly Hispanic town of low-slung ranch homes and trailer parks, where orchards and irrigation ditches share the landscape with strip malls, truck stops, recycling plants and distribution warehouses.

Socorro is among at least 20 communities with large warehouses across the U.S. that have become stealth targets for Immigration and Customs Enforcement's $45-billion expansion of detention centers.

As public support for the agency and President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown sags, communities are objecting to mass detentions and raising concerns that the facilities could strain water supplies and other services while reducing local tax revenue. In many cases, mayors, county commissioners, governors and members of Congress learned about ICE's ambitions only after the agency bought or leased space for detainees, leading to shock and frustration even in areas that have backed Trump.

"I just feel," said Cruz, whose wife was born in Mexico, "that they do these things in silence so that they don't get opposition."

Communities scramble for information

ICE, which is part of DHS, has purchased at least seven warehouses in Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Texas, signed deeds show. Other deals have been announced but not yet finalized, though buyers scuttled sales in eight locations.

DHS objected to calling the sites warehouses, stressing in a statement that they would be "very well structured detention facilities meeting our regular detention standards."

The process has been chaotic at times. ICE this past week acknowledged it made a "mistake" when it announced warehouse purchases in Chester, New York, and Roxbury, New Jersey. Roxbury then announced Friday that the sale there had closed.

DHS has confirmed it is looking for more detention space but hasn't disclosed individual sites ahead of acquisitions. Some cities learned that ICE was scouting warehouses through reporters. Others were tipped off by a spreadsheet circulating online among activists whose source is unclear.

It wasn't until Feb. 13 that the scope of the warehouse project was confirmed, when the governor's office in New Hampshire, where there is backlash to a planned 500-bed processing center, released a document from ICE showing the agency plans to spend $38.3 billion to boost detention capacity to 92,000 beds.

Since Trump took office, the number of people detained by ICE has increased to 75,000 from 40,000, spread across more than 225 sites.

ICE could use the warehouses to consolidate and to increase capacity. The document describes a project that includes eight large-scale detention centers, capable of housing 7,000 to 10,000 detainees each, and 16 smaller regional processing centers. The document also refers to the acquisition of 10 existing "turnkey" facilities.

The project is funded through the big tax and spending cuts bill passed by Congress last year that nearly doubled DHS' budget. To build the detention centers, the Trump administration is using military contracts.

Those contracts allow a lot of secrecy and for DHS to move quickly without following the usual processes and safeguards, said Charles Tiefer, a professor emeritus of law at the University of Baltimore Law School.

Socorro facility could be among the largest

In Socorro, the ICE-owned warehouses are so large that 4 1/2 Walmart Supercenters could fit inside, standing in contrast to the remnants of the austere Spanish colonial and mission architecture that defines the town.

At a recent City Council meeting, public comments stretched for hours. "I think a lot of innocent people are getting caught up in their dragnet," said Jorge Mendoza, an El Paso County retiree whose grandparents immigrated from Mexico.

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Many speakers invoked concerns about three recent deaths at an ICE detention facility at the nearby Fort Bliss Army base.

Communities fear a financial hit

Even communities that backed Trump in 2024 have been caught off guard by ICE's plans and have raised concerns.

In rural Pennsylvania's Berks County, commissioner Christian Leinbach called the district attorney, the sheriff, the jail warden and the county's head of emergency services when he first heard ICE might buy a warehouse in Upper Bern Township, 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from his home.

No one knew anything.

A few days later, a local official in charge of land records informed him that ICE had bought the building — promoted by developers as a "state-of-the art logistics center" — for $87.4 million.

"There was absolutely no warning," Leinbach said during a meeting in which he raised concerns that turning the warehouse into a federal facility means a loss of more than $800,000 in local tax dollars.

ICE has touted the income taxes its workers would pay, though the facilities themselves will be exempt from property taxes.

A Georgia detention center could house twice the population of the city where it's located

In Social Circle, Georgia, which also strongly supported Trump in 2024, officials were stunned by ICE's plans for a facility that could hold 7,500 to 10,000 people after first learning about it through a reporter.

The city, which has a population of just 5,000 and worries about the infrastructure needs for such a detention center, only heard from DHS after the $128.6 million sale of a 1 million-square-foot (92,900-square-meter) warehouse was completed. Like Socorro and Berks County, Social Circle questioned whether the water and sewage system could keep up.

ICE has said it did due diligence to ensure the sites don't overwhelm city utilities. But Social Circle said the agency's analysis relied on a yet-to-be built sewer treatment plant.

"To be clear, the City has repeatedly communicated that it does not have the capacity or resources to accommodate this demand, and no proposal presented to date has demonstrated otherwise," the city said in a statement.

And in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise, officials sent a scathing letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after ICE without warning bought a massive warehouse in a residential area about a mile from a high school. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, raised the prospect of going to court to have the site declared a public nuisance.

Crowds wait to speak in Socorro

Back in Socorro, people waiting to speak against the ICE facility spilled out of the City Council chambers, some standing beside murals paying tribute to the World War II-era Braceros Program that allowed Mexican farmworkers to be guest workers in the U.S. The program stoked Socorro's economy and population before President Dwight D. Eisenhower's administration in the 1950s began mass deportations aimed at people who had crossed the border illegally.

Eduardo Castillo, formerly an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, told city officials it is intimidating but "not impossible" to challenge the federal government.

"If you don't at least try," he said, "you will end up with another inhumane detention facility built in your jurisdiction and under your watch."

___

Hollingsworth reported from Kansas City, Missouri. Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire, and Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, also contributed.

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ICE is quietly buying warehouses for detention centers and leaving local officials out of the loop

ICE is quietly buying warehouses for detention centers and leaving local officials out of the loop HEATHER HOLLINGSWO...

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White House dinner closes a turbulent week for governors in Washington

White House dinner closes a turbulent week for governors in Washington STEVEN SLOAN and JOEY CAPPELLETTI Sat, February 21, 2026 at 1:30 PM UTC 0 1 / 0TrumpGov. Wes Moore, DMd., right, attends a breakfast with the National Governors Association in the State Dining Room of the White House, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) () WASHINGTON (AP) — The annual dinner with governors at the White House is typically a chance for leaders from both parties to come together, socialize and spend a lowkey evening with the president.

White House dinner closes a turbulent week for governors in Washington

STEVEN SLOAN and JOEY CAPPELLETTI Sat, February 21, 2026 at 1:30 PM UTC

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1 / 0TrumpGov. Wes Moore, D-Md., right, attends a breakfast with the National Governors Association in the State Dining Room of the White House, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) ()

WASHINGTON (AP) — The annual dinner with governors at the White House is typically a chance for leaders from both parties to come together, socialize and spend a low-key evening with the president. But like many traditions during President Donald Trump's second term, Saturday's dinner has proven unusually controversial.

Ahead of this week's gathering of the National Governors Association, Trump ridiculed the bipartisan group's leadership, Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma and Democratic Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland. He refused to invite Moore, along with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, to a working event at the White House on Friday — only to relent at the last minute.

Even then, the event was cut short when Trump learned of the Supreme Court's decision to strike down his sweeping tariff policy, leaving even some Republicans frustrated by the week's turbulence.

"It was unfortunate that the Supreme Court came out with a bad ruling at that time," said Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican and top Trump ally.

Dozens of Democrats had threatened to boycott the dinner if members of their party were blocked from the working meeting. But even after Moore's attendance, some said they still wouldn't show up Saturday.

"President Trump has made this whole thing a farce," Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement explaining her decision to skip the dinner.

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For all the turmoil surrounding the dinner, some Democrats said Friday's meeting was useful. Moore said it offered a "chance for us to be able to share our thoughts and our perspectives and our ideas."

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said governors asked Trump what lessons were learned from the administration's aggressive immigration enforcement in Minnesota, in which two U.S. citizens were killed within weeks of each other.

"The President said, 'We'll only go where we're wanted," Hochul said approvingly.

Those who have attended previous dinners said they offered a rare and helpful opportunity for governors to connect with the president and members of his Cabinet away from the pressure of daily governing. Some also said the dinner was a chance to connect with fellow governors from other parties whom they might not see very often.

Asa Hutchinson, the former Republican governor of Arkansas who briefly challenged Trump for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, recalled being assigned to a table one year with then-Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo and getting to know her family.

"It's a glowing evening in the White House," Hutchinson, who once chaired the NGA, said in an interview.

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White House dinner closes a turbulent week for governors in Washington

White House dinner closes a turbulent week for governors in Washington STEVEN SLOAN and JOEY CAPPELLETTI Sat, February...

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Major East Coast Storm With Snow, Damaging Wind Expected This Weekend, Blizzard Warnings Issued For NYC

Major East Coast Storm With Snow, Damaging Wind Expected This Weekend, Blizzard Warnings Issued For NYC Jonathan Erdman Sat, February 21, 2026 at 1:35 PM UTC 0 A major coastal storm is expected to bring blizzard conditions, heavy snow, potentially damaging winds and coastal flooding Sunday and Monday from the midAtlantic to New England. Blizzard warnings have been issued for all five boroughs of New York City for the first time since 2017. This storm has been named Winter Storm Hernando by The Weather Channel. We'll lay all that out below.

Major East Coast Storm With Snow, Damaging Wind Expected This Weekend, Blizzard Warnings Issued For NYC

Jonathan Erdman Sat, February 21, 2026 at 1:35 PM UTC

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A major coastal storm is expected to bring blizzard conditions, heavy snow, potentially damaging winds and coastal flooding Sunday and Monday from the mid-Atlantic to New England.

Blizzard warnings have been issued for all five boroughs of New York City for the first time since 2017.

This storm has been named Winter Storm Hernando by The Weather Channel.

We'll lay all that out below.

(TERMS TO KNOW: Nor'easter | Blizzard)

What We Know

- Timing: late Saturday into Monday, with the peak snowfall occurring on Sunday and Monday. Read on to see a more specific day-by-day breakdown.

- We expect low pressure to form Sunday off the East Coast, somewhere offshore between the Delmarva Peninsula and the Carolinas.

- That low pressure should quickly gain strength, and could do so quickly enough to be called a "bomb cyclone" by early Monday, a term for low pressure that intensifies rapidly.

(MORE: What Is A Bomb Cyclone?)

- Heavy snow, gusty winds and coastal flooding are all expected for the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

Winter Storm Alerts

Blizzard warnings have been issued from Delaware to Connecticut, including all of New York City and Long Island.

Winter storm watches and warnings have been issued along portions of the Eastern seaboard and also for the higher terrain of the northern Appalachians. Don't be surprised if more winter storm watches are converted to blizzard warnings in the upcoming hours.

Driving conditions on Sunday and/or Monday will be dangerous, and gusty conditions and hefty snow could lead to some power outages.

The Forecast

The maps below show our current forecast of snow and rain from this system from Sunday through Monday. Each map also includes which cities will see the worst impacts.

Wind gusts over 40 mph are also increasingly likely from coastal Virginia to eastern Massachusetts. These strong onshore winds could cause coastal flooding on Sunday night and Monday morning at times of high tide.

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Snowfall rates will eclipse one inch per hour at times, especially closer to the coast. In some locations, combined with gusty winds, this will lead to scattered power outages. Reduced visibility will make travel in the latter half of the weekend into Monday dangerous.

This storm will have impacts on Monday morning's commute from Philadelphia to Boston, and possibly the evening commute in parts of New England. If you can stay off the roads, please do so.

Sunday

Temperatures will remain high enough for rain to be the main threat on the southernmost end of the storm, specifically for parts of the Carolinas and southern Virginia. From Virginia to central New Jersey, temperatures will hover around freezing, leading to a mix of rain and snow. Further north, snowfall is the main threat.

Cities To See Winter Weather: Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York City

Sunday Night

Temperatures drop so that all major metropolitan areas will see snow. Heavy snow and gusty winds mean travel is not recommended.

Cities To See Winter Weather: Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston

Monday

Snowfall will begin to wrap up for the Mid-Atlantic but will continue for the Northeast. Gusty winds in place mean that white conditions are possible even after new snowfall has stopped.

Cities To See Winter Weather: Philadelphia, New York City, Boston

This forecast may still change slightly, but if you are in any of the blue or purple in the maps above, expect hazardous conditions and delays. Check back with us at weather.com for updates to this forecast.

How Much Snow?

The heaviest snow is expected along the coast from New Jersey to Massachusetts and in the northern Appalachians, where totals will surpass a foot.

(MORE: Why Northeast Winter Storms Can Be Difficult To Forecast)

Note that as this forecast continues to get refined, these totals could still shift. Should the storm move further west in future model runs, some places could see even more snowfall than this map shows right now.

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.

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Major East Coast Storm With Snow, Damaging Wind Expected This Weekend, Blizzard Warnings Issued For NYC

Major East Coast Storm With Snow, Damaging Wind Expected This Weekend, Blizzard Warnings Issued For NYC Jonathan E...

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Alysa Liu's father shares conflicting emotions after Olympic gold | Exclusive

Alysa Liu&x27;s father shares conflicting emotions after Olympic gold | Exclusive Josh Peter, USA TODAYSat, February 21, 2026 at 11:05 AM UTC 0 MILAN — Alysa Liu's father sifted through conflicting thoughts and emotions. It was less than 24 hours after his daughter won the gold medal for the women's individual figure skating competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday, Feb. 19. Arthur Liu wore a smile and the look of happiness during an exclusive interview with USA TODAY Sports. He also grew subdued while sharing regrets.

Alysa Liu's father shares conflicting emotions after Olympic gold | Exclusive

Josh Peter, USA TODAYSat, February 21, 2026 at 11:05 AM UTC

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MILAN — Alysa Liu's father sifted through conflicting thoughts and emotions.

It was less than 24 hours after his daughter won the gold medal for the women's individual figure skating competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday, Feb. 19.

Arthur Liu wore a smile and the look of happiness during an exclusive interview with USA TODAY Sports. He also grew subdued while sharing regrets. He said they stemmed from decisions he made years before his daughter wowed spectators inside the Milano Ice Skating Arena and millions of people watching on TV.

He reflected on a coaching change not long before Alysa walked away from ice skating at 16.

"In retrospect, I feel I made a mistake,'' Arthur Liu said, adding that Alysa "started to hate skating and stuff until she quit.''

He also said he regretted taking her from the family's home in Northern California months before the 2022 Winter Olympics to train in Colorado Springs, where USA Ice Skating is headquartered. She finished sixth at the Beijing Games.

"I took her to Colorado Springs and I left her there,'' said Arthur Liu, who added that at the time he was overwhelmed with the demands of running his law practice and being a single parent of five children. Alysa, 20, is the oldest. "During that period of time, I wasn't there for her.

"She was upset and she missed home. But then I was thinking, when I was 14, I went to boarding school. I survived. I felt like (Alysa) can survive this, too. But not knowing that she hated it. I did not know until she came home.''

1 / 0See Alysa Liu's incredible Gold medal free skate performance

U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu won gold in the women's competition of the 2026 Winter Olympics to end a 24-year gold medal drought in the event for the Americans.See these amazing moments from her free skate.

'Do it your way'

When Alysa Liu returned to ice skating at 18, Arthur Liu said, she made it clear how things would proceed.

"She said, 'I'm coming back. I'm going to do my terms,'" Arthur recalled. "I was like, yes, go ahead and do it your own way. Because I mean, as a father, I love her and I want to support her. But there's only this much I can do. I'm just one person. I'm very tired by the end of the day.

"Just work and the kids and everything. I just want to relax a little. I don't have to worry too much about her (now). That's great. You want me to be hands off? That's great. Even though you hurt a little bit to hear that.''

At 13, Alysa became the youngest U.S national champion ever. And as her skating career progressed, Arthur Liu said, he hoped to find someone else to take over.

"Because it's too hard for me,'' he said. "It is really difficult for me to raise a champion, take care of her, and also take care for other kids.

"So I had always wanted somebody to take over and that happened. So, OK, you're not on the team anymore. In a way, it hurts a little bit to hear. But as a matter of fact, that's exactly where I wanted, for her to be independent.''

Arthur Liu gave up his role as Alysa's manager.

"She has a good team of people around her,'' Arthur Liu said. "So I don't have to worry about how I can protect her or what to do.

"I'm totally hands off with her business. I have done my job for her and now I need to focus on the other four (children).''

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MORE: Alysa Liu's incredible life story now includes winning the gold medal

'Hugs and pictures'

Section 28, Row 2, Seats 1 through 5.

That's where Arthur and his four children sat inside the Milano Ice Skating Arena, on a far end of the rink. He said Alysa spotted them during the six-minute practice session before the final stage of the competition began.

Later, Arthur said, he learned she also was forming her fingers into the shape of hearts.

"She's like that,'' Arthur Liu said. "Even early on in (U.S.) nationals, national competitions, she would know where I was sitting.

He said his family waited at the arena until 2:30 p.m. so they could visit with Alysa for 10 minutes.

About 20 friends and family members were there to greet Alysa, according to Arthur Liu.

"Lots of hugs and pictures,'' he said of the visit.

Arthur Liu, father of Alysa Liu, celebrates with family during the medal ceremony for the women's free skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena.'I really trust her'

During the night of the free skate, Arthur Liu said, he was only a little nervous.

"I really trust her,'' he said. "I trust her that she would go out there and do what she normally does. And also my philosophy is a little bit like hers. I'm not so attached to placement, medals. I mean, it's really about two great programs (the short program and the free skate.)

"That's something that she's happy with, happy about. So if she does that, normally it works out pretty well for her.''

Yet when Alysa vaulted into first place, Japan's Ami Naka and Kaori Sakamoto were within striking distance before they skated last.

"After (Alysa) performed, I was very happy,'' Arthur Liu said. "But there are two very strong competitors coming up, so you never know.''

Soon enough, Arthur Liu knew. Everyone knew.

Alysa was the Olympic champion, America's first champion figure skater since 2002.

'They had so much fun'

Arthur Liu recalled the early days after Alysa, his oldest child, started skating. Two of her siblings joined her.

"They had so much fun chasing people doing hide and seek at the rink and made friends with adults, hockey players and chasing each other," Arthur Liu said. "It's just having fun. That's what parents would want to see."

And there she was at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, exuding joy and clearly having fun like she did before a dark period and taking a hiatus.

"She's just really happy to see the crowd,'' Arthur Liu said, "and she just wants to put on a good performance.''

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alysa Liu's father shares regrets about her Olympic gold medal journey

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Alysa Liu's father shares conflicting emotions after Olympic gold | Exclusive

Alysa Liu&x27;s father shares conflicting emotions after Olympic gold | Exclusive Josh Peter, USA TODAYSat, Febru...

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Why are Duke, Michigan basketball playing? What to know of Duel in the District

Why are Duke, Michigan basketball playing? What to know of Duel in the District Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY NETWORKSat, February 21, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC 0 The Duke basketball rivalry with Michigan is set to resume on Saturday, Feb. 21. The No. 3 Blue Devils (242) and No. 1 Wolverines (251) are set to play for the first time in 13 years when they take the court at 6:30 p.m. ET, not from Michigan's Crisler Center or Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium, but from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., in The Duel in the District.

Why are Duke, Michigan basketball playing? What to know of Duel in the District

Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY NETWORKSat, February 21, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC

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The Duke basketball rivalry with Michigan is set to resume on Saturday, Feb. 21.

The No. 3 Blue Devils (24-2) and No. 1 Wolverines (25-1) are set to play for the first time in 13 years when they take the court at 6:30 p.m. ET, not from Michigan's Crisler Center or Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium, but from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., in The Duel in the District.

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This will mark the 31st meeting between the programs and the seventh in a neutral site, which includes three meetings in the NCAA Tournament.

The last meeting between Duke and Michigan occurred in 2013 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, when the Blue Devils took down the Wolverines 79-69 at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.

Here's what you about the "Duel in the District" between Duke and Michigan on Saturday:

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Why are Duke-Michigan playing nonconference game in February?

The "Duel in the District" game between Michigan and Duke was announced on June 24, 2025. Capital One Arena is the home of the NBA's Washington Wizards, the NHL's Washington Capitals and the Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team.

The matchup is set to take place at the arena, which hosts several high-profile NCAA events in the coming years, including the 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball East Regional, the 2027 Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship and the 2028 Division I Women's Basketball Regional.

Michigan makes its way back to the nation's capital for the first time since participating in the Coaches vs. Racism matchup against Prairie View A&M on Nov. 13, 2021. The Wolverines play in Capital One Arena (then the Verizon Center) for the first time since winning the Big Ten Tournament there in 2017.

Duke played in the 2024 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena, falling to eventual tournament winner North Carolina State in the quarterfinals.

Duke-Michigan basketball history -

Series record: Duke leads 22-8

Duke and Michigan have faced off 30 times prior to Saturday's game. That includes three meetings in the NCAA Tournament (1992 national championship, 1964 Final Four and the 2011 second round) between the programs.

Here's a look at entire history between the programs:

Feb. 21, 2026 (Washington, D.C): No. 3 Duke vs. No. 1 Michigan

Dec. 3, 2013 (Durham, N.C): Duke 79, Michigan 69

Nov. 22, 2011 (Lahaina, Hawaii): Duke 82, Michigan 75

March 20, 2011 (Charlotte): Duke 73, Michigan 71 (Round of 32)

Dec. 6, 2008 (Ann Arbor, Michigan): Michigan 81, Duke 73

Nov. 21, 2008 (New York): Duke 71, Michigan 56

Dec. 8, 2007 (Durham, N.C.): Duke 95, Michigan 67

Dec. 7, 2002 (Durham, N.C.): Duke 81, Michigan 59

Dec. 8, 2001 (Ann Arbor, Michigan): Duke 104, Michigan 83

Dec. 9, 2000 (Durham, N.C.): Duke 104, Michigan 61

Dec. 11, 1999 (Ann Arbor, Michigan): Duke 104, Michigan 97

Dec. 12, 1998 (Durham, N.C.): Duke 108, Michigan 64

Dec. 13, 1997 (Ann Arbor, Michigan): Michigan 81, Duke 73

Dec. 8, 1996 (Durham, N.C.): Michigan 62, Duke 61

Dec. 9, 1965 (Ann Arbor, Michigan): Michigan 88, Duke 84

Dec. 10, 1994 (Durham, N.C): Duke 69, Michigan 59

Dec. 11, 1993 (Ann Arbor, Michigan): Duke 73, Michigan 63

Dec. 5, 1992 (Durham, N.C.): Duke 79, Michigan 68

April 6, 1992 (Minneapolis): Duke 71, Michigan 51 (national championship)

Dec. 14, 1991 (Ann Arbor, Michigan): Duke 88, Michigan 85

Dec. 8, 1990 (Durham, N.C.): Duke 75, Michigan 68

Dec. 9, 1989 (Ann Arbor, Michigan): Michigan 113, Duke 108

Dec. 7, 1970 (Durham, N.C.): Duke 95, Michigan 74

Dec. 10, 1969 (Ann Arbor, Michigan): Duke 73, Michigan 68

Dec. 9, 1968 (Durham, N.C.): Michigan 90, Duke 80

Dec. 6, 1967 (Ann Arbor, Michigan): Duke 93, Michigan 90

Dec. 3, 1966 (Durham, N.C.): Duke 96, Michigan 75

Dec. 21, 1965 (Detroit): Duke 100, Michigan 93

Dec. 5, 1964 (Durham, N.C.): Michigan 86, Duke 79

March 20, 1964 (Kansas City): Duke 91, Michigan 80 (Final Four)

Dec. 21, 1963 (Ann Arbor, Michigan): Michigan 83, Duke 67

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Duke, Michigan basketball are playing nonconference game in February

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Source: "AOL Sports"

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Published: February 21, 2026 at 01:27PM on Source: RED MAG

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Canada, USA meet again: Why there won't be repeat of 4 Nations fights

Canada, USA meet again: Why there won&x27;t be repeat of 4 Nations fights Mike Brehm, USA TODAYSat, February 21, 2026 at 11:05 AM UTC 0 Canada and the USA are meeting in the men's hockey gold medal game, just as they had in the 4 Nations FaceOff final. That 2025 tournament was famous for the three fights in the first nine seconds of the team's first meeting in the round robin. But there almost certainly won't be a repeat at the Olympics. Players can't take the risk in such a highstakes game.

Canada, USA meet again: Why there won't be repeat of 4 Nations fights

Mike Brehm, USA TODAYSat, February 21, 2026 at 11:05 AM UTC

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Canada and the USA are meeting in the men's hockey gold medal game, just as they had in the 4 Nations Face-Off final.

That 2025 tournament was famous for the three fights in the first nine seconds of the team's first meeting in the round robin.

But there almost certainly won't be a repeat at the Olympics. Players can't take the risk in such a high-stakes game.

Even though all six combatants in that wild opening are in Milan, including USA brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, the International Ice Hockey Federation prohibits fighting, and it could lead to an ejection and a suspension.

There was a sort of fight in this year's Olympics - more like a wrestling match - and the players were ejected.

"Fighting is not part of international ice hockey's DNA," the IIHF states in Rule 46 of its rulebook.

"Players who willingly, participate in a 'brawl/fight' so-called 'willing combatants,' shall be penalized accordingly by the referee(s) and may be ejected from the game," the rulebook says. "Further supplementary discipline may be imposed."

International rules on hockey fights

Rule 46, which addresses fighting, has 13 sections. Penalties are more severe than in the NHL, which sends players to the penalty box for five minutes.

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"Any player who persists in continuing or attempting to continue a 'fight or altercation' after they been ordered by the referee to stop, or who resists a linesperson in the discharge of their duties shall, at the discretion of the referee, incur at least a major penalty, plus an automatic game misconduct penalty," the rulebook says.

Instigating a fight brings an automatic game misconduct, compared to a misconduct in the NHL, and being an aggressor and continuing a fight to inflict damage also brings an ejection. So does being third man in.

Referees have latitude in making calls. A unwilling combatant who throws a punch or two in defense could avoid a game misconduct.

What was the fight at the 2026 Olympics?

Canada's Tom Wilson went after France's Pierre Crinon over his earlier hit on Nathan MacKinnon.

It wasn't much of a fight, more of a wrestling match with gloves dropped but no real punches thrown. IIHF rules, though, state that a fighting penalty can be called if "players wrestle in such a manner as to make it difficult for the linespersons to intervene and separate the combatants."

Both Wilson and Crinon were ejected. They received two minutes for roughing, five for fighting and a game misconduct.

The IIHF decided not to suspend them, though the French hockey team did suspend Crinon because of his "provocative behavior when he came out of the ice."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Olympics fighting ban explained: Why USA, Canada won't drop gloves

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Sports"

Read More

---

Source: Sports

Published: February 21, 2026 at 01:27PM on Source: RED MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byRed Roads Media

in

4:01 AM

Canada, USA meet again: Why there won't be repeat of 4 Nations fights

Canada, USA meet again: Why there won&x27;t be repeat of 4 Nations fights Mike Brehm, USA TODAYSat, February 21, 2026...

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