A small town's fight against ICE

March 19, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

This Marketplace episode from March 19 surveys U.S. economic indicators amid geopolitical tensions, including resilient jobless claims, sluggish new home sales, barriers to mortgages in underserved areas, environmental fallout from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, strains on rural pharmacies, and a coastal town's resistance to federal immigration enforcement plans.

Labor Market Holds Steady

New unemployment claims fell to 205,000 last week, the lowest since January, signaling stability despite uncertainty from recent global events. Economists described a "low hire, low fire" environment: firms are retaining workers even as continuing claims rise due to slower rehiring. High-profile layoffs at companies like Amazon and Meta may not fully appear in claims data, as severance packages delay filings. The unemployment rate stood at 4.4% last month, historically low. This aligns with the Federal Reserve's view of a balanced, if gradual, labor market rebalancing rather than deterioration.

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What you'll learn

1 (01:49) **Jobless Claims Fall** - New claims drop to 205k, lowest since January, signaling stable labor market amid uncertainty
2 (03:53) **New Home Sales Decline** - January sales down 17% from December due to winter weather
3 (06:11) **Mortgage Deserts Interview** - Sharon Cornellison defines areas with scarce mortgages, often cash or investor-driven
4 (10:56) **War's Environmental Toll** - Nita Crawford details air/water pollution, methane leaks from US-Israeli strikes on Iran
5 (16:23) **Market Close and Commodities** - Dow -0.4% to 46,021; Brent crude settles at $106 amid Iran war energy hits
6 (20:12) **Rural Pharmacy Struggles** - Julie Perkins on PBMs squeezing margins at Kansas store/grocery combo
7 (23:39) **Newport Fights ICE Plans** - Town resists Coast Guard helicopter relocation and secret detention center at airport

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Newport, Oregon is a small town on the coast with beautiful beach views. After the town’s rescue helicopter was taken to the southern border, the community came together against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In this episode, we talk to a local reporter who covered the story. Plus, we check on lower-than-expected January home sales numbers and jobless claims. Later, a drugstore owner in a “pharmacy desert,” and a look at the climate cost of war in Iran.

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