Judges v Trump: Here are the key court battles halting the White House agenda
The recent wave of preliminary injunctions from federal judges has stymied President Donald Trump’s early agenda in his second White House term, prompting new questions as to how far the administration might go if it opts to challenge these court orders. Federal judges across the country have blocked Trump’s ban on transgender persons serving in the U.S. military, ordered the reinstatement of core functions of the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, and halted Elon Musk’s government efficiency organization, DOGE, from oversight and access to government agencies, among other things. They’ve also temporarily halted deportations, or attempted to, so judges can consider the relevant laws. Combined, the wave of rulings has been met with outrage from Trump administration officials, some of whom said they plan to appeal the rulings to the Supreme Court, if needed. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has used her podium to rail against “radical left-wing judges,” who she has alleged are acting with a political agenda to block Trump’s executive orders. “These judicial activists want to unilaterally stop President Trump from deporting foreign terrorists, hiring and firing executive branch employees, and determining the readiness of our troops,” Leavitt said on X, expanding on remarks made Wednesday at a press briefing. LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS “They MUST be reined in,” she added. Some of Trump’s supporters in Congress have threatened judges who block the president’s agenda with impeachment, while his critics worry the president’s attacks on the judiciary will collapse the constitutional system, bringing to the fore an impassioned debate over the separation of powers in the Constitution. Here’s a rundown of where things stand. U.S. District Court Judge Theodore Chuang, an Obama appointee, ruled on Tuesday that DOGE’s efforts to dismantle USAID “on an accelerated basis” likely violated the U.S. Constitution “in multiple ways” and ordered the partial restoration of the agency’s functions, including reinstatement of personnel access to email and payment systems. Chuang’s preliminary injunction is believed to be the first to directly invoke Musk himself. It said Musk could interact with USAID employees only after being granted “express authorization” from an agency official, and it blocked DOGE from engaging in any further work at USAID. Hours later, U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes issued a preliminary injunction barring the Pentagon from enforcing Trump’s order on transgender persons serving in the military. Reyes, the first openly gay member of the court, wrote in a scathing 79-page ruling that the Trump administration failed to demonstrate that transgender service members would hinder military readiness, relying on what she described as “pure conjecture” to attempt to justify the policy and thus causing undue harm to thousands of current U.S. service members. SHELTERS, JESUS, AND MISS PAC-MAN: US JUDGE GRILLS DOJ OVER TRANS POLICY IN DIZZYING LINE OF QUESTIONING Both rulings are almost certain to be challenged by the Trump administration. In fact, Reyes was so confident that the Justice Department would file an emergency appeal that she delayed her ruling from taking force until Friday to allow the Trump administration time to file for an emergency stay. Reyes wasn’t wrong. Senior administration officials vowed to challenge the wave of court rulings, which they said are an attempt by the courts to unduly infringe on presidential powers. “We are appealing this decision, and we will win,” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on social media. “District court judges have now decided they are in command of the Armed Forces…is there no end to this madness?” White House policy adviser Stephen Miller said later in a post on X. WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS? Several other high-profile cases are playing out in real time that could test the fraught relationship between the courts and the executive branch, and next steps remain deeply uncertain. U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg warned the Trump administration on Wednesday that it could face consequences for violating his court order temporarily blocking it from invoking a little-known wartime law to immediately deport Venezuelan nationals from U.S. soil, including alleged members of the gang Tren de Aragua, for 14 days. Boasberg handed down the temporary restraining order Saturday evening, around the time that the Trump administration proceeded to deport hundreds of migrants, including Venezuelan nationals subject to the Alien Enemies Act, to El Salvador. He also ordered in a bench ruling shortly after that any planes carrying these individuals return to the U.S. But at least one plane with migrants deported by the law in question touched down later that evening in El Salvador. “Oopsie, too late,” El Salvador’s president said in a post on X. In the days since, government lawyers citing national security protections have refused to share information in court about the deportation flights and whether the plane (or planes) of migrants knowingly departed U.S. soil after the judge ordered them not to do so. The White House has repeatedly asserted that lower court judges like Boasberg should not have the power to prevent the president from executing what it argues is a lawful agenda, though the judges in question have disagreed that the president’s actions all follow the law. “A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil,” Leavitt told Fox News. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said in an interview on “Fox & Friends” this week: “We are not stopping.” “I don’t care what the judges think. I don’t care what the left thinks. We’re coming,” Homan said, adding, “Another fight. Another fight every day.” SCOTUS RULES ON NEARLY $2 BILLION IN FROZEN USAID PAYMENTS The administration’s appeals, which are all almost guaranteed, may have a better chance of success than previous cases that reached appellate courts, including one in which the Supreme Court ruled against the president. There are two types of near-term relief that federal judges can
Abbott praises Trump’s efforts to eliminate Education Department at White House
Gov. Greg Abbott dismissed concerns that federal funding and civil rights could be jeopardized by the reduction of the department.
Trump admin can’t deport Georgetown scholar accused of spreading Hamas propaganda until court rules: judge
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to halt the planned deportation of a Georgetown University scholar arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Monday over allegations he spread Hamas propaganda online. Judge Patricia Giles ordered that Badar Khan Suri, an Indian citizen, “shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court issues a contrary order.” Suri was detained in Alexandria, Louisiana. Suri, a postdoctoral scholar student in the United States on a student visa, was accused of “actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media,” a senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official said in a statement. ‘SAFER WITHOUT HIM’: COLUMBIA STUDENT CLAIMS CLASSMATE ARRESTED BY ICE ‘HATES AMERICA’ “Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas.” The agency did not name the suspected terrorist or Hamas advisor. However, The New York Times reported that Suri’s wife is Palestinian American. Her father is Ahmed Yousef, a former advisor to Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader Israel assassinated last year in Iran. RUBIO DEFENDS DEPORTATIONS OF HAMAS SUPPORTERS AFTER COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ACTIVIST ARREST In a voice message, Yousef said Suri is his son-in-law, adding Suri was not involved in any “political activism,” including on behalf of Hamas, the Times report states. Yousef lives in Gaza but said he left his position in the Hamas-run government more than a decade ago. He doesn’t hold a senior position with the terrorist group and has publicly criticized Hamas’ decision to attack Israel Oct. 7, 2023, which ignited the group’s ongoing war with Israel. On March 15, Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined Suri’s activities and presence in the U.S. “rendered him deportable” under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a senior official said. Fox News Digital has reached out to Suri’s attorney.
JD Vance takes shot at Harris as he jokes that drinking led to her ‘word salads’
Vice President JD Vance took a shot at former Vice President Kamala Harris, suggesting her alcohol habits were responsible for her “word salads.” Vance’s remarks came as he described the difference between how he and Harris have handled the role as vice president, and he speculated about the relationship dynamic between Harris and former President Joe Biden. “Well, I don’t have four shots of vodka before every meeting,” Vance said in an interview with radio host and Daily Caller editor Vince Coglianese in an interview that aired Thursday. “That’s one way I think that Kamala really tried to bring herself into the role, is these word salads. I think I would need the help of a lot of alcohol to answer a question the way that Kamala Harris answered questions.” Vance then shared his suspicions that Harris and Biden didn’t have the same level of trust he and President Donald Trump share, noting his opinion was based on “guesswork” since he doesn’t speak to either Biden or Harris frequently. VANCE KNOCKS GLOBALIZATION’S ‘CHEAP LABOR’ AND LAUDS ‘AMERICA’S GREAT INDUSTRIAL COMEBACK’ AT AI SUMMIT “My sense is that there wasn’t a level of trust between Biden and Harris,” Vance said. “She was just less empowered to do her job. Luckily, I’m in a situation where the president trusts me, where if he asks me to do something, he believes it’s going to happen. … I feel empowered in a way that I think a lot of vice presidents haven’t been, but that’s all in the service of accomplishing the president’s vision.” Harris routinely faced scrutiny for comments in which she jumbled words, including when she said, “I grew up understanding the children of the community are the children of the community” in September 2024. KAMALA HARRIS SHREDDED FOR WORD SALAD REPEATING PHRASE ‘CHILDREN OF THE COMMUNITY’ Harris, who previously served as a senator from California, is now a speaker with CAA Speakers, which represents high-profile celebrities. CAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. A spokesperson for Vance confirmed the vice president made the remarks on the podcast but did not provide additional comment to Fox News Digital. Coglianese did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Meanwhile, Vance also poked fun at himself in the interview Thursday. Vance, who has become the source of thousands of memes circulating the internet after the heated Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February, said he finds the memes entertaining. In particular, he said he enjoys one based off Leonardo DiCaprio pointing at the television from the 2019 film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and another swapping his face with members of the band Van Halen. “I’m a personal fan of Vance Halen, but that’s because I really like the band Van Halen,” Vance said. “So that’s just my personal preferences. I don’t know how it happened or where it came from, but it’s been very, very funny to watch your own face become this meme. It’s made the job a lot more fun, so I encourage people to keep doing it.” Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
Hegseth says Defense Dept eliminates hundreds of millions in ‘wasteful’ spending after DOGE findings
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said wasteful spending is over as he signed a memo to cancel over $580 million in Department of Defense (DoD) contracts. “We’re back with another quick update on our efforts to cut wasteful spending and cut it quickly at the Department of Defense,” Hegseth announced in a post on X. “Today, I’m signing a memo directing the termination of over $580 million in DoD contracts, in grants that do not match the priorities of this president or this department. In other words, they are not a good use of taxpayer dollars.” Hegseth said that they owe Americans transparency, sharing details on some of the contracts and grants that have been canceled. DOGE SAYS 239 CONTRACTS CANCELED OVER 2 DAYS, INCLUDING A GRANT TO TEACH TRANS FARMERS ABOUT ‘FOOD JUSTICE’ “There’s an HR software effort that was supposed to take a year and cost $36 million, but instead it’s taken eight years and is currently $280 million over budget, not delivering what it was supposed to. So that’s 780% over budget. We’re not doing that anymore,” Hegseth vowed. Hegseth added that they uncovered another batch of DoD grants, totaling $360 million worth, that decarbonizing emissions from Navy ships – part of the Obama-Biden Green agenda. “That’s 6 million bucks, $5.2 million on something that would diversify and engage the Navy by engaging underrepresented Bipoc students and scholars. Another $9 million at a university to approach equitable AI and machine learning models. I need lethal machine learning model, not equitable machine learning models,” Hegseth explained. PENTAGON TO CUT UP TO 60K CIVILIAN JOBS, BUT FEWER THAN 21K HAVE VOLUNTARILY RESIGNED On this third point, Hegseth said Thursday’s other cuts included wasteful spending on external consulting services. “30 million bucks in contracts with Gartner and McKinsey. That’s IT purchasing unused licenses. So when you add it all up, $580 million in DoD contracts and grants DOGE is helping us cut today,” Hegseth said. When added up all together, Hegseth said that over $800 million in wasteful spending has been canceled over the first few weeks, as DoD partners with DOGE “to make sure that our warfighters have what they need by cutting the waste, fraud, and abuse.” HEGSETH DIRECTS DOD CIVILIAN WORKFORCE TO COMPLY WITH MUSK’S DOGE PRODUCTIVITY EMAIL “They’re working hard. We’re working hard with them. We appreciate the work that they’re doing, and we have a lot more coming. So stay tuned,” Hegseth said. “So, might as well not waste any more time right now, just sign this thing. How about that? So this makes it official. We’re going to keep going for you guys,” Hegseth said while signing the orders. “Have we ever seen this level of transparency? Amazing, thank you @SecDef,” Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., commented on Hegseth’s post. Back in February, Hegseth committed to cooperating with DOGE to cut wasteful spending at the Department of Defense. “We will partner with them. It’s long overdue. The Defense Department’s got a huge budget, but it needs to be responsible,” Hegseth previously told Fox News. As of Thursday afternoon, 239 “wasteful” contracts with a “ceiling value” of $1.7 billion have been terminated over a two-day period, DOGE announced. Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavey and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Fox News Poll: Voters are split on Trump policies
After 60 days in office and more than 90 executive orders, the latest Fox News Poll finds voters are split on some particulars of President Donald Trump’s agenda. The survey, released Thursday, finds the most popular policy is banning transgender women from women’s sports, with voters favoring it by 38 points (68% favor, 30% oppose). Trump signed the executive order, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” on February 5. Voters also favor making English the official U.S. language (66% favor, 32% oppose), deporting illegal immigrants (63%-35%), having the U.S. acknowledge only two genders (54%- 44%), and increasing drilling and oil production (53%-44%). They are more divided on reducing the number of federal employees (46% favor, 51% oppose) and ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs (45%-51%). The least liked Trump proposals are taking over the Panama Canal (39% favor, 57% oppose), closing the Department of Education (32%-65%), renaming the Gulf of Mexico (31%-67%), and taking over Greenland (26%-70%). FOX NEWS POLL: TRUMP, REPUBLICANS AT RECORD-HIGH RATINGS AS DEMOCRATS FALTER Trump signed an executive order Thursday to dismantle the Department of Education. “Trump’s more flamboyant ideas about expanding U.S. territories and holdings have limited public support, so much so that one wonders if they are simply designed to rattle some cages,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts Fox News surveys with Democrat Chris Anderson. “But on some of his more specific cultural and social policies, there is substantial support across a broad range of constituencies.” Partisan voters are predictably distinct on these policies, although partisan opinion varies depending on the issue. For instance, Democrats largely oppose Trump on the issues while Republicans support him, but the top three issues remain the same for both sides: banning trans women from women’s sports (Democrats 43% favor, Republicans 90%), making English the official language (39%, 91%), and deporting illegal immigrants (35%, 90%). Although deporting illegal immigrants is a popular policy position, two-thirds of voters still think any child born to an illegal immigrant within the U.S. should automatically become a U.S. citizen, and this opinion commands large majority support among Democrats (89%) and Independents (71%) and large minority support among Republicans (44%). In addition, support for this measure is up by 20 points compared to 15 years ago. FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT DOGE, EVEN AS THEY SEE NEED FOR CUTS Attitudes toward closing the Department of Education are perhaps most sharply different along partisan lines. Most Democrats (92%) and Independents (81%) oppose closing it, while two-thirds of Republicans favor it (63%). – Nearly 7 in 10 are concerned that Trump’s executive actions may permanently alter the country’s system of checks and balances. That’s similar to how voters felt about former President Barack Obama’s use of executive actions in 2014. – Tarrifs are viewed mostly through a negative lens, with voters thinking they are more likely to harm the U.S. economy (53% harm vs. 28% help) and make products more expensive (69% more vs. 7% less). Majorities favor tariffs on products from China (55% favor) but oppose them on products from Mexico (56% oppose) or Canada (61% oppose). – Voters agree that a great deal, or even almost all, government spending is wasteful (57%), but majorities rate Trump’s handling of the issue negatively (56% only fair or poor) and are concerned not enough thought and planning has gone into the cuts (65%). CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Conducted March 14-17, 2025 under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 994 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (123) and cellphones (648) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (223). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error associated with results among subgroup is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.
Fox News Poll: Approval of Zelenskyy down 20 points since start of war in Ukraine
As Ukraine enters its fourth year of war with Russia, the latest Fox News Poll finds Americans’ approval of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy waning even as a majority continues to support giving his country financial aid. The Fox News survey, released Thursday, was conducted before President Donald Trump’s back-to-back calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and Zelenskyy on Wednesday, during which the foreign leaders agreed to a limited ceasefire, though talks are still ongoing. A 56% majority of U.S. voters approve of Zelenskyy’s response to the Russian invasion. That represents an 18-point decrease from 74% approval in February 2023 (the most recent time Fox asked the question), and a 20-point decrease since the war’s onset in March 2022 (76%). FOX NEWS POLL: TRUMP, REPUBLICANS AT RECORD-HIGH RATINGS AS DEMOCRATS FALTER That decline is mostly due to a 42-point drop in approval among Republicans (76% approved in 2022 vs. 34% today). There was also a 9-point drop among Independents while Democrats held steady (roughly 8 in 10 approving). Fifty-six percent of voters favor continuing financial aid for the Ukrainians. That is unchanged since last year, but down 7 points from a high of 63% in January 2023. FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT DOGE, EVEN AS THEY SEE NEED FOR CUTS “Republican support for U.S. assistance to Ukraine has dropped as the new president and vice president have pushed for a ceasefire and offered only conditional support of Zelenskyy,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. “Elite cues matter for partisan opinion.” Half of voters, 50%, approve of the U.S. providing financial aid to the Israeli government for its military, down 2 points from last June and 10 points from November 2023 (just weeks after the Hamas attack). Regarding the conflict itself, 55% side more with the Israelis than the Palestinians, about where it was in January (54%). However, support has been on a steady decline since the start of the war in October 2023, when 68% favored the Israelis. Overall, 32% support the Palestinians, nearly double the 18% backing them in 2023. Just a third of Democrats back the Israelis (34%) while half support the Palestinians (50%), a reversal from the start of the war when 6 in 10 supported the Israelis (59%) and a quarter the Palestinians (25%). Majority support for the Israelis has mostly held steady among Republicans (77% now, 79% October 2023) and Independents (53%, 58%). When asked a more general question about how much the U.S. should be spending on humanitarian foreign aid, voters are divided: 36% want to keep it the same as last year, 39% want it decreased, while 23% want to see it increased. Trump is generally underwater when it comes to his handling of foreign affairs. His job ratings are net negative by 5 points on his handling of Israel (45% approve, 50% disapprove), by 7 points on China, by 8 points on Mexico, by 10 points on Ukraine, by 16 points on Russia, and by 23 points on Canada. Trump’s job approval numbers on Russia have improved by 5 points since Fox last asked the question (from 35% in April 2018 to 40% today), while on China they have declined by 4 points (49% in April 2017 to 45% today). Overall, 49% approve of the job Trump is doing as president – matching a record high. CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Conducted March 14-17, 2025 under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 994 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (123) and cellphones (648) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (223). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error associated with results among subgroups are higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.
Dems who have spoken passionately against domestic terrorism go silent as Tesla torchers are charged
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday labeled the violent streak of vandalism against Tesla vehicles and showrooms as “domestic terrorism” — an issue Democrats have rallied against for years. Fox News Digital asked 13 Democrats who sponsored legislation to combat domestic terrorism if they agreed with Bondi’s distinction. None of the lawmakers responded. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the ongoing Tesla attacks across the U.S. From Oregon to Massachusetts, Tesla cars and facilities have been vandalized in at least seven locations. What began as protests against Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have escalated into violent incidents, including shots fired at a building, destroyed dealership windows and charging stations set on fire. Former President Joe Biden’s administration launched the first-ever National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism in 2021, identifying domestic terrorism as a major national security threat, particularly in the aftermath of the U.S. Capitol attacks on Jan. 6. Congressional Democrats led their own legislative efforts to combat domestic terrorism during the Biden administration. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and 10 Senate Democrats introduced the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2023, which was designed to enhance the government’s ability to prevent domestic terrorism. The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022 also targeted domestic terrorism, with a focus on combating “white supremacist and neo-Nazi infiltration.” SUSPECTED TESLA ARSONISTS HIT WITH FEDERAL CHARGES IN ACTS OF ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’: AG Despite Democrats leading activism against domestic terrorism during the Biden administration, the Democratic response to the ongoing Tesla attacks has been noticeably silent. One Democrat, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., urged his colleagues to condemn the Tesla vandalism in an X post last week. ELON MUSK IN ‘SHOCK’ OVER DEMS’ ALLEGED ‘HATRED AND VIOLENCE,’ LAMENTS ‘DERANGED’ ATTACKS ON TESLA PLANTS “There is zero tolerance for acts of vandalism against Tesla. Spraying the words “nazi cars” or lighting fire to dealership and chargers is wrong. Period. All Democrats should condemn it,” he said. While now refusing to condemn Tesla vandalism, Democrats have not missed an opportunity to vocalize their opposition to domestic terrorism in the past. “As I have said on many occasions, I condemn all violence, regardless of ideology,” Durbin said in 2023 while urging colleagues to support the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act. “We have to act decisively to address the poison of white supremacy and domestic terrorism in America. It’s a poison, it’s a cancer, it’s destroying our society. It shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It’s not a Democratic issue or Republican issue, dealing with the crisis of violent white supremacy. It is an American issue,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in 2022. ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’ HITS TESLA DRIVERS, DEALERS AS FORMER FBI FIELD BOSS WARNS IT COULD GET WORSE “We are deeply concerned about the financing of domestic violent extremist activities in the U.S.,” Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.; former Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; and former Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., said in 2022 while calling for a review into how domestic extremists are funded. Waters is yet to call for an investigation into how Tesla protests are being funded as many conservatives are pointing the finger at liberal activist groups, including Musk, who recently blamed left-wing billionaire George Soros, billionaire Democratic mega-donor and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and others, claiming they are bankrolling the destructive “protests.” In 2021, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said in a Facebook post, “Domestic terrorism is one of the gravest threats to America.” “When violence fueled by homegrown, hateful ideology poses a more immediate threat to the safety and security of Americans on American soil than an international terrorist organization, it’s time for our laws to catch up,” Schiff said in 2019. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said last summer following the first assassination attempt on President Donald Trump that “all political violence” should be condemned, adding she was the victim of political violence herself. Following the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on X: “We must do more to fight terrorism at home and abroad.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., demanded accountability in 2022 for those who perpetrate White supremacy, which is considered a form of domestic terrorism. “White supremacy has cost countless lives from El Paso to Mother Emanuel and now Buffalo. Our hearts break for the victims. And we demand accountability for those in Congress and in social media that perpetrate this deadly ideology,” she said on X after questioning Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel seemed to mock Tesla vandalism during his show on Tuesday. “People have been vandalizing Tesla vehicles, new Tesla vehicles. Please, don’t vandalize, don’t ever vandalize Tesla vehicles,” Kimmel said, pausing and looking into the camera for a dramatic pause as the audience laughed. A conservative social media account posted the clip and said: “Jimmy Kimmel wants more Tesla attacks.” “He’s such an unfunny jerk,” Musk replied to the post. Bondi on Tuesday said that the Tesla attacks are “nothing short of domestic terrorism” and the Department of Justice has already made several charges. “The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism. The Department of Justice has already charged several perpetrators with that in mind, including in cases that involve charges with five-year mandatory minimum sentences. We will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes,” Bondi said in a statement. 10 PLACES WHERE TESLA VEHICLES, DEALERSHIPS WERE ATTACKED THIS YEAR While no serious injuries have been reported, anti-Musk cyberattackers posted an interactive map of Tesla owners’ names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mails. Bondi told Fox News’ Will Cain on Wednesday that the Justice Department believes the attacks are part of an organized effort. “We are coming after you,” Bondi said on “The Will Cain Show.” “We believe these are organizers, and these are not individuals out there throughout the country doing this on their own. They’re targeting Tesla owners. They’re targeting
Border state could invest eye-popping amount to crack down on immigration-related crimes
Arizona could see a boost in border security funding in this year’s state budget, Fox News Digital has learned. The state House of Representatives recently passed legislation in hopes of raising the budget meant to crack down on border-related crimes to $50 million, which would be a significant hike from the $17 million allotted last year. “We are expanding funding to give law enforcement the resources they need to fight border-related crime. This $50 million proposal is a direct investment in public safety and reinforces the House Republican Majority’s commitment to securing our communities. We certainly don’t want a California-style justice system that lets criminals off the hook while law-abiding citizens pay the price,” Republican state Rep. Quang Nguyen told Fox News Digital in a statement. WORLD LEADER AGREES WITH VANCE THAT MASS MIGRATION IS THREAT TO ‘DAILY LIFE’ Budget negotiations usually take place between the Republican legislative leadership and Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office throughout the session. The governor’s office indicated that border security funding increases could be on the table for the final proposal, even if it’s not that exact amount. “The department shall use the monies to fund local law enforcement officer positions for border drug interdiction to deter and apprehend any individuals who are charged with drug trafficking, human smuggling, illegal immigration, and other border-related crimes,” the legislation itself states. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Her executive budget proposal already includes an increase of roughly $6 million to the fund. “The Governor’s Executive Budget dedicates $23 million to the same fund. The final amount will be negotiated in the budget. And she does not consider that $23 million number a cap,” Christian Slater, a spokesperson for Hobbs, told Fox News Digital in a statement. Past bipartisan agreements on border security funding are mostly tied to efforts to thwart the flow of drugs such as meth and fentanyl into the state and nationwide, and Arizona authorities regularly conduct seizures independent of the federal government. TOP ARIZONA ELECTION OFFICIAL EYES BID FOR BORDER CONGRESSIONAL SEAT AFTER HOUSE DEMOCRAT DIES The bill passed the Senate Committee on Military Affairs and Border Security on Monday along party lines. Part of the suggested increase has to do with the fate of Prop. 314, a law passed by voters in November that makes crossing into Arizona illegally a state crime on top of already being a federal one. However, the provision is already held up in federal court because of Texas Senate Bill 4, so it’s unknown whether it will be legally enforceable, according to Courthouse News Service. On the campaign trail, the proposition was frequently criticized as an unfunded mandate that could lead to the racial profiling of Arizonans, regardless of their immigration status. It passed with over 60% support. BORDER STATE LAWMAKER REVEALS WHAT ‘DRASTIC’ CHANGES CAN BE SOLIDIFIED WITH MAJOR CONGRESSIONAL ACTION “This bill, I believe, is not the right use of our state payer dollars. Instead of using state dollars for duplicate efforts that the federal government should be paying for, we should address the real priorities impacting Arizonans here at home every day,” Democratic state Rep. Mariana Sandoval said in opposition to the bill on March 5, when the House vote took place. State Rep. Kevin Volk, the only Democrat to vote in favor of the bill in the House, said he promised on the campaign trail to “increase funding to help secure our border.” Migrant encounters at the southern border have significantly decreased since President Donald Trump took office in January, which included vast policy changes, including the end of the CBP One app and sending troops to the border.
GOP senator says he’s working with Trump on bill to abolish Education Department
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said he has been in discussions with President Trump’s White House to revive his bill to dismantle the Department of Education, which would codify the latest executive order. In the lead up to Trump’s much-anticipated executive order to abolish the department, his administration had been in talks with a longtime advocate of doing so: Rounds. His office shared with Fox News Digital that the senator and Trump’s White House have talked about bringing back his bill to abolish the department and pushing for it. ‘EDUCATORS WILL BE FIRED’: REPUBLICANS CHEER TRUMP ORDER DISMANTLING EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AS DEMS SEETHE Rounds is planning to re-introduce the bill now that Trump has signed the executive order. “The federal BUREAUCRACY of Education has never educated a single student,” the senator told Fox News Digital in a statement. “It’s time to shut it down. Today’s news is a step in the right direction. Congress should follow the executive branch’s lead and act accordingly. I am working on legislation that would return education decisions to states and local school districts while maintaining important programs like special education and Title I. We are discussing this legislation with Secretary McMahon, and we believe there is a very good path forward.” BIDEN’S FORMER SPOKESMAN SLAMS TRUMP AND GOP ‘COLLUDING TO IMPEACH’ JUDGES He introduced the “Returning Education to Our States Act” in the last Congress, but it never came to the floor, which was controlled by Democrats. Rounds’ bill would abolish the Department of Education and charge various other departments with certain responsibilities and programs that are currently administered by it. Trump notably claimed on the 2024 campaign trail, “One thing I’ll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., and sending all education and education work it needs back to the states.” DEM SENATOR ON SCHUMER FUTURE: ‘IMPORTANT’ TO KNOW ‘WHEN IT’S TIME TO GO’ He previewed his plans to do so for months prior to signing the Thursday executive order. During the signing ceremony, Trump explained, “The department’s useful functions such as … Pell grants, title one funding resources for children with disabilities and special needs will be preserved, fully preserved.” SCOOP: BILL PREVENTING ACTIVIST JUDGES FROM BLOCKING TRUMP’S AGENDA BACKED BY WHITE HOUSE “They’re going to be preserved in full and redistributed to various other agencies and departments that will take very good care of them,” the president continued. “But beyond these core necessities, my administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the Department.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House but did not immediately receive a response.