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GOP bill would ban use of autopen to sign pardons after Trump deems Biden’s ‘void’

GOP bill would ban use of autopen to sign pardons after Trump deems Biden’s ‘void’

FIRST ON FOX: A House Republican is launching an effort to ban the “irresponsible” use of the autopen to sign presidential pardons, just days after President Donald Trump declared former President Joe Biden’s pardons “void” after they were allegedly signed via a mechanical device. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., will introduce the Signature Integrity for Granting National Pardons (SIGN) Act on Friday, shared first with Fox News Digital, to require that a sitting president personally sign any pardon or reprieve, prohibiting the use of a mechanical-signed signature, such as the autopen. “Biden’s use of an autopen should automatically void his presidential pardons,” Carter told Fox News Digital in a statement. “The SIGN Pardons Act will restore the integrity of this important role in our justice system, ensuring that all pardons are physically signed by the Commander-in-Chief.” The Republican-led legislation comes just days after Trump declared Biden’s 11th-hour presidential pardons “vacant” after allegedly being signed via autopen, a mechanical device that can replicate signatures.  WHAT IS AN AUTOPEN? THE SIGNING DEVICE AT THE HEART OF TRUMP’S ATTACKS ON BIDEN PARDONS “This irresponsible use of technology raises questions about who was really running the country during Biden’s term,” Carter added. “If Biden outsourced this constitutional duty to staff and machines, what other major decisions was he absent for?”  A report published by an arm of the Heritage Foundation claimed that the majority of official documents signed by Biden allegedly an autopen signature. Trump, in a Truth Social post on Sunday night, claimed that Biden was unaware of the pardons signed in the final days of his term, which included pardoning members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. “The ‘Pardons’ that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. PRO-ENERGY GROUP URGES AG BONDI TO PROBE BIDEN’S AUTOPEN ON CRUCIAL DECISION THAT DEVASTATED INDUSTRY “In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them! The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime,” the president added. Trump does not use an autopen to sign legally binding documents such as pardons, according to the White House. Fox News Digital learned this week that an energy watchdog group, Power the Future, sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi calling on her to investigate whether Biden also signed energy-related executive orders via autopen and if such actions “were instituted with the president’s knowledge.” The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel determined in 2005 that the president is permitted to use an autopen to sign bills into law, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued a ruling in February that said the absence of “a writing does not equate to proof that a commutation did not occur.” Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Fox News’ Diana Stancy, Andrew Mark Miller and Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Bucking big-city trend: Major Texas cities now alerting ICE of illegal immigrant encounters

Bucking big-city trend: Major Texas cities now alerting ICE of illegal immigrant encounters

As many Democratic-run major cities across America double down on resisting the Trump administration’s illegal immigration crackdown, law enforcement agencies in Texas’ two largest cities are now alerting ICE of encounters with illegal immigrants. This comes after ICE filed administrative warrants in the National Crime Information Center to arrest and deport some 700,000 illegal immigrants. The Houston Chronicle first reported that police officers in Texas’ largest city will call federal immigration authorities whenever they encounter an illegal immigrant with a federal administrative warrant against them. In line with this policy, Houston Police Department officers are directed to communicate with ICE once an illegal immigrant with an administrative warrant is detected. Officers are then directed to discuss options for transferring the illegal immigrant to ICE custody, which could include holding them on the scene until ICE arrives. BLUE SANCTUARY STATE OPERATING AS ‘CONTROL’ CENTER FOR VICIOUS MIGRANT GANG: ACTING DEA CHIEF According to the Chronicle, this policy is already being implemented. The outlet reported that Jose Armando Lainez Argueta, a 40-year-old Salvadoran national illegally present in the country, was arrested by ICE after his name came up in the system during a routine traffic stop by Houston police. Meanwhile, local outlet News 4 San Antonio reported that the police in San Antonio, the second-largest city in Texas and seventh largest in the U.S., will also be following a similar policy, alerting local ICE officials of encounters with illegal immigrants who come up in the National Crime Information Center system as having federal administrative warrants against them. The outlet obtained an email sent to San Antonio Police Department officers in which officers were told to “contact the ICE Law Enforcement Service Center … and request an ICE officer come to the scene to arrest the individual.” The email said the types of illegals who may come up in the system include previously deported felons, aliens who have been previously ordered deported or removed, and individuals with civil immigration detainer orders against them. ‘OPERATION TAKE BACK AMERICA’ RESULTS IN OVER 80 ILLEGAL ALIEN ARRESTS The San Antonio Police Department did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment by the time of publication. However, the department’s sister agency, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, told Fox News Digital that while it does not directly alert ICE of illegal immigrant encounters, it does have a policy of coordinating with ICE and regularly has immigration officials visit county jails to conduct interviews. Bexar Deputy Sheriff Johnny Garcia told Fox News Digital that ICE officials enter county jails to conduct interviews as often as “every three hours.” The sheriff’s office also gives ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officials 48-hour notice of when an illegal immigrant with an immigration detainer is set to be released from jail.   ‘BRING IT ON’: SHERIFF PUSHES BACK AFTER BLUE-STATE LEADERS SUE TO STOP IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT “They’re visiting the jail just to make contact with any new persons that may be arrested. So there’s no obstruction in that regard,” he explained. “They come in just like any other officer of law enforcement official who has access and authority to enter the jail for official purposes. They, too, have that ability to come into the jail and conduct their business as needed.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Garcia told Fox News Digital that their policy of cooperating with ICE is simply in line with all state and federal laws. “We do what is required of us by the law,” he said. ‘CLOSING TIME’: WHITE HOUSE, BORDER PATROL TROLL WITH DEPORTATION MEME VIDEO An ICE spokesperson told Fox News Digital that though the agency “does not comment on the agency’s internal methods for operational security reasons,” he said the use of administrative arrest warrants is a “vital tool to protect public safety and reduce the amount of taxpayer resources needed to fund law enforcement at all levels of government.” “ICE is leveraging all available law enforcement resources to aggressively pursue these aliens to restore law and order in our communities and integrity to our nation’s immigration laws,” he said. “By taking advantage of all lawful means to carry out our critical mission, it not only bolsters public safety, national security and border security, it also lessens the threat that our officers face each day when they bravely go out into the community to apprehend these violent criminal aliens.” 

Satanic group defies Kansas officials, plans ‘black mass’ at state Capitol

Satanic group defies Kansas officials, plans ‘black mass’ at state Capitol

A group of self-described Satanists plans to stage a “black mass” inside the Kansas State Capitol, despite recent attempts by the governor and a group of bipartisan lawmakers to block it.  The Satanic Grotto, a registered nonprofit that describes itself as an “independent and non-denominational Satanic church,” intends to hold its demonstration at the state Capitol on March 28. According to founder Michael Stewart, the event initially drew little attention, until allegations surfaced that he stole consecrated bread from a local Catholic church for use in the “black mass” ceremony. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, issued an order on March 12 barring The Satanic Grotto from entering the State House for its planned March 28 demonstration. That order was subsequently followed up by a modification of the State House’s building and grounds policies, led by a group of bipartisan state legislators. FAITH LEADERS GATHER AROUND TRUMP TO PRAY IN OVAL OFFICE: ‘INCREDIBLE DAY’ “There are more constructive ways to protest and express disagreements without insulting or denigrating sacred religious symbols,” Kelly said in an announcement about The Satanic Grotto’s “black mass” event.  In Satanist traditions, a “black mass” ceremony sometimes involves the desecration of the consecrated Eucharist, as was recounted online by Monsignor Roger J. Landry, a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, in 2014. Landry pointed out that, at the time, the New York Satanic Temple’s website described the black mass as a “perversion of the Catholic Mass” and posited that a consecrated host gets “corrupted by sexual fluids” during the ritual.  A lawsuit brought by the bishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Joseph Naumann, alleged Stewart admitted on social media to stealing the consecrated Eucharist. The lawsuit also alleged members of The Satanic Grotto sent threatening letters to lawmakers.  “The First Amendment does not protect criminal conduct,” Senate President Ty Masterson told the Kansas Reflector this week. “Recent statements from an organization – which pledged to engage in such conduct – necessitated a thoughtful review of policies to ensure the safety of all those visiting our State Capitol.”  VANCE VOWS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL BE ‘BIGGEST DEFENDERS OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTIES,’ CATHOLICS Stewart, in an interview with Fox News Digital, did not deny the accusations that he was the owner of a social media account that admitted to taking the host. Stewart said that while he and his group may have sent rude letters to lawmakers in the past, none of them were threatening. An evidentiary hearing in the case took place Thursday, and it was ultimately dismissed after Stewart denied the allegations, he said. Stewart promised to proceed with his demonstration at the Capitol on March 28, despite orders attempting to block it, even if it leads to his arrest. He expects to be joined by two or three other members of The Satanic Grotto but has urged unaffiliated supporters looking to confront public officials or law enforcement to stay back. “It’s come up a lot lately that we’re going to storm the Capitol. And because [critics] see that one of our specific laws of the grotto speaks to violence, that we’re a violent organization. Neither one of those things are true,” Stewart said. “We’re going to the Capitol non-violently. This is not going to be January 6th. This is going to be a 1960s civil rights act. We’re not going to be literally slinging fecal matter on the walls.” DYLAN MULVANEY SAYS ‘RELIGION AND FAITH USED AGAINST’ RANS COMMUNITY, HOPES PEOPLE WILL FEEL ASHAMED Stewart said that the idea of the “black mass” demonstration in Topeka stemmed from the group wanting “to build a church that matches how Kansans define Satanism.” “Part of that is activism,” Stewart said. “We started following different groups and counterprotests, and inevitably they all ended up at the Capitol, one way or another.”  However, Stewart noted, the groups making use of their First Amendment rights by protesting at the Capitol were mostly all Christian groups “holding pictures of mutilated babies inside of our Capitol, holding prayers, holding praise and worship sessions, very openly, very boldly, consistently.” “I’ve rarely, if ever, seen anybody else do anything. And it just occurred to me, I was like, ‘Man, these guys are the only ones taking advantage of their rights.’” Kelly’s office declined to comment on the situation when reached for comment, pointing Fox News Digital to a March 12 statement about the event. 

Puerto Rico no longer safe bet for illegal migrants as Trump crackdown expands to US territory

Puerto Rico no longer safe bet for illegal migrants as Trump crackdown expands to US territory

Puerto Rico, which for years was seen as a sanctuary for illegal immigrants, is now facing increased attention under the Trump administration, and an immigration expert tells Fox News Digital the U.S. island territory has long been a favored jurisdiction for evading immigration restrictions. More than 200 people have been arrested since deportation operations in Puerto Rico ramped up on Jan. 26, 149 of which have been citizens of the Dominican Republic, according to U.S. Customs and Immigration data provided to the Associated Press. Local migrants are “panicking,” Jose Rodriguez, the president of the Dominican Committee of Human Rights, told the AP. “They’re afraid to go out; they’re afraid to take their children to school.” Illegal migrants have lived in Puerto Rico “for decades,” according to the report, which added that many had been staying in the U.S. territory “without fear of arrest” while many have been allowed to open bank accounts, obtain driver’s licenses and even open their own businesses. But Heritage Foundation Border Security and Immigration Center director Lora Ries tells Fox that’s long been a problem with island territories like Puerto Rico and Guam. TRUMP POLICY ON BORDER JUMPERS EMPOWERS USE OF ‘MAXIMUM CONSEQUENCES,’ BORDER AGENT TELLS FOX “These localities allow them to open bank accounts, give driver’s licenses, allow them to open businesses, it’s just facilitating and prolonging this illegal immigration,” Ries said. “And then, of course, the immigrants, the aliens, if they are put into removal proceedings by ICE, then they use that as a shield, a defense, saying, ‘You can’t deport me because I’ve been here so many years, and I have a business here, and I have these financial ties.’” The recent raids have “shattered the perception” that the island territory is a sanctuary for illegal immigrants, causing many to live in fear about their own fate. Ries said that despite the perception of safety, illegal migrants in any U.S. territory face the same potential consequences as those on the mainland United States. “They always skip over personal responsibility. They knew they broke the law. They knew they were continuing to break the law. They knew that they could be arrested and removed and detained for breaking the law … don’t try to shift responsibility to the U.S. government and then play victim,” Ries said. Ries noted that U.S. territories, including those in the Pacific such as Guam, are often jumping-off points for illegal migrants, who first enter there and then find easier travel to the mainland United States. Meanwhile, others start a life that they try to later use as a “shield” from immigration authorities. INFLUX OF ILLEGAL CHINESE MIGRANTS THREATENS US TERRITORY; ISLAND MUST SHOW ‘STRENGTH OF THE NATION’ A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told the AP that the agency has focused its efforts in Puerto Rico on those with a criminal record or those who have received a final court ruling to leave the country. Nevertheless, the AP report said there has been a surge in support for Puerto Rico’s illegal immigrant population, noting that volunteers have been working to provide meals to families too afraid to leave their house, while government officials from multiple jurisdictions have moved to limit cooperation with federal authorities. Ries argued the situation is no different from those that have played out in many areas of the U.S., where so-called “sanctuary” jurisdictions have severely limited cooperation with federal authorities and prioritized illegal migrants over their native citizens. TRUMP PUTTING TROOPS ON BORDER WAS GAME CHANGER, SAN DIEGO SECTOR CHIEF SAYS: ‘FORCE MULTIPLIER’ “It’s the same thing,” Ries said. “It’s local officials not cooperating with federal agents, or local officials dedicating very limited resources and time and attention to illegal aliens rather than their own constituents. They need to do a better job representing their citizens to giving their resources to citizens.” ICE did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

Understanding Cloud Hosting: Guide for Indian enterprises

Understanding Cloud Hosting: Guide for Indian enterprises

Cloud hosting is gaining popularity because of its benefits over conventional IT solutions.Cloud hosting is a cost-effective compromise that enables rapid customizing and upgrade potential. It is becoming more popular for small businesses to meet their daily needs.