The State Department issued 26,483 immigrant visas worldwide in February, about half as many as two years earlier, according to its own monthly tables. Visas for parents of U.S. citizens fell by more than half, the diversity visa lottery issued none, and Cuba, Pakistan and Nigeria each went from more than 1,000 visas to fewer than 70. Here is what the numbers show and the policies behind them.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin wants young people to think, “Lord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems,” before taking a job in the Trump administration. Sen. Mike Lee called it “absolutely disgraceful,” and the head of the federal personnel office called it “unprofessional.” Slotkin’s answer: “Spare me the pearl-clutching.” Here is what each of them said, word for word.