Hunter Biden’s trial on federal gun charges got underway this week. He faces an embarrassing and revealing court case, plus possible prison time if he’s found guilty. According to Sarah Isgur, senior editor of The Dispatch, the best thing for both Hunter and his father’s re-election campaign would be a plea deal, as she wrote for The New York Times. How would the president have to respond if a guilty verdict does come down? And what do the troubles facing Joe Biden in his son’s case reveal about his struggles on other issues?

One of those issues: immigration. Earlier this week, Joe Biden enacted an executive order that imposes new limits on asylum seekers coming to the United States. The move follows an unsuccessful push for bipartisan legislation to overhaul the immigration process at the border. In a speech, Biden emphasized the need for action due to the legislation’s failure. It could win over people in the center who want something done about the migrant crisis, but will it cost him support from his base?

Puerto Rico’s status as a U.S. territory has long dominated its politics. For our 50 states series, KCRW tries to unwrap the growing influence of culture and societal issues shifting the island’s political scene.

A New York jury found Donald Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records. It is the first time a former president has been convicted of a crime. The case was rooted in Trump’s attempt to keep a damaging story about himself and actress Stormy Daniels out of the news during the 2016 election. With any potential punishment still far out, the focus now is on how the conviction will impact politics in the upcoming weeks and months. Will Trump or Joe Biden find the best way to capitalize on the ruling? Will voters who were already unmoved by the proceedings be stirred to action?

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito notified Congress that he would not recuse himself from cases involving the January 6th riots or the 2020 election. Members of Congress were calling for a recusal following reports that flags associated with the Stop the Steal movement were flown over his residence and a vacation home in 2021 and 2023. Alito claims his wife put up the flags and he was not involved. The situation rekindled conversations about justices’ responsibilities for their spouses’ actions. But more concerning is how this incident (and the Donald Trump trial) plays into growing levels of public mistrust in the judiciary.

The renewed bill — to address the ongoing border crisis — fails to advance from the Senate following a 43-50 procedural vote. The bipartisan legislation would have provided more money for border security and tightened asylum restrictions, among other provisions. Republican detractors viewed this latest push as a political stunt, while some progressives argued that it was too punitive. With immigration consistently rising as a top issue for voters, how might this latest congressional failure to act influence the election?

In a presidential election with two extremely unpopular candidates, down-ballot politicians in tight races are distancing themselves from the top of the ticket. They’re hoping to capitalize on popular policies without taking on too much of their party’s baggage. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s loyalists are flocking to his New York courtroom in a show of solidarity. Are average voters willing to separate candidates from their parties, and is Trump’s trial reaching anyone beyond political junkies?

AI and deepfakes pose an unprecedented threat to election integrity. With Congress and the law slow to keep pace with rapid advances in this technology, can we rely on tech companies to step up? And is government regulation of political speech a slippery slope, even in the case of misinformation and disinformation?