Texas to close border site used to process arrested migrants
The state opened the facility in Jim Hogg County in 2022.
Trump policy on border jumpers empowers use of ‘maximum consequences,’ border agent tells Fox
SAN DIEGO — The change in administration from President Joe Biden to President Donald Trump has opened up stronger enforcement possibilities for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, the agent in charge of a key sector along the southern border tells Fox News Digital. “We have changed from a posture of catch-and-release to providing maximum consequences to the greatest extent possible for anyone and everyone who crosses,” San Diego Sector acting Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey Stalnaker told Fox News Digital. The comments come as there has been a seemingly overnight change in the situation at the U.S. southern border, with CBP data showing that order apprehensions in February hit a nearly 25-year low, while encounters with illegal migrants dipped to just 30,000 in February, a number that was over 130,000 during the same time period in 2023 and 2024. That reality has been in the typically busy San Diego border sector, Stalnaker said, a shift he credited to the new administration in the White House. TRUMP PUTTING TROOPS ON BORDER WAS GAME CHANGER, SAN DIEGO SECTOR CHIEF SAYS: ‘FORCE MULTIPLIER’ “Once the new administration came in, we are able to exercise and provide consequences to the greatest extent, which then gets [illegal migrants] either jail time and/or provide them a repatriation to the country where they began their journey to the United States,” Stalnaker said. “We were in a posture of catch and release… we would apprehend [illegal immigrants], take them to our soft site facility, we would run checks on them, and then try to get them out of our facility as quickly as possible… release them with the notice to appear to go see an immigration judge,” he added. “The change now is we catch them, still take them to our soft side facility, however they are not being released, we are trying to find every consequence possible and deliver that consequence to them.” The shift to a quieter border can also be credited to the deployment of U.S. military forces to the border, Stalnaker noted, pointing to the hundreds of members of the Marines, Army and Navy who have been assigned to the San Diego sector alone shortly after Trump took office. “We also have our DOD partners with us here,” Stalnaker said. “They’re a great partner, we enjoy having them out here, and the help they’re providing to us assists us with our mission.” Nearly 500 Marines have been deployed to the San Diego sector as part of Task Force Sapper, helping reinforce existing order barriers with the added protection of razor wire. The Marines will continue to help improve the border area east of San Diego, most notably where a gap in this existing structure exists. BORDER AREA BUSTLING UNDER BIDEN NOW QUIET UNDER TRUMP, SAYS VETERANS GROUP: ‘AMAZING DIFFERENCE’ “We are the engineers that are conducting the construction down on the southern border in order to reinforce the existing primary and secondary barrier that exists in the San Diego sector,” Lt. Col. Tyrone Barrion, the commanding officer of Task Force Sapper, told Fox News Digital, noting that the Marines’ efforts have created an “obstacle that disrupts any type of activity that tries to cross over the top or through the barrier.” “That allows more reaction time for border patrol,” he added. Meanwhile, multiple companies of Army engineers and military police officers based out of Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, have been deployed to the San Diego sector to assist with surveillance and detection operations, giving CBP agents more eyes on the border and allowing them to move more quickly to apprehend illegal border crossers. The all-hands-on-deck approach since the start of the Trump administration has contributed to the successful missions, Stalnaker said. “It’s a force multiplier, it assists us to accomplish our mission,” Stalnaker said. “And it’s not just DOD, there are additional federal partners, state and local partners, we have extremely good partnerships here in the San Diego sector that act as force multipliers. And it’s that whole og government approach that it takes for us to accomplish our mission.”
Ukraine unveils 600-mile cruise missile that can reach Moscow amid peace talks
Ukraine now has a cruise missile that can travel over 600 miles, far enough to reach Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy boasted over the weekend. “We have significant results,” Zelenskyy said Saturday. “Long Neptune has been tested and successfully used in combat. A new Ukrainian missile, an accurate strike. The range is a thousand kilometers,” or 620 miles. That puts Moscow within striking range. The missile has been in development for years. Battle watchers believe the combat success Zelenskyy referred to was a Friday strike on an oil refinery in Tuapse, Russia, some 300 miles from the front line. RUSSIA WANTS ‘IRONCLAD’ GUARANTEE THAT UKRAINE WILL BE BARRED FROM NATO: OFFICIAL The refinery is under 60 miles from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s sprawling cliffside palace on the Black Sea in Gelendzhik. The Neptune cruise missile was used in April 2022 to take out a flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet. Zelenskyy recently pledged that Ukraine would produce 100,000 long-range munitions in 2025. TRUMP, PUTIN CALL EXPECTED THIS WEEK, AS ADMIN EDGES CLOSER TO RUSSIA-UKRAINE CEASEFIRE DEAL: WITKOFF Russia intercepted and destroyed several Ukrainian drones flying over Moscow on Friday, with some coming as close as just two miles away from the Kremlin, according to Russian officials. White House envoy Steve Witkoff was in Moscow last week. The fresh attacks and new offensive weapons contradict the delicate ceasefire negotiations that will culminate in a phone call between President Donald Trump and Putin on Tuesday. Zelenskyy has already agreed to the terms of a 30-day ceasefire after meetings with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We’ll be talking about land, we’ll be talking about power plants, that’s a big question. But I think we have a lot of it already discussed, very much, by both sides, Ukraine and Russia,” Trump said of his call. Russia has not accepted the terms of the ceasefire and accelerated attacks on Ukraine after Zelenskyy said he would agree to it.
Trump’s approval rating matches his all-time high, new poll finds
President Donald Trump’s current approval rating matches his highest approval rating ever as president — even though a majority of voters disapprove of how Trump is handling the job, according to a new poll. Fifty-four percent of registered voters approve of Trump’s performance presently — which equals his previous all-time high during the entirety of his political career, a national NBC News poll released Sunday found. Likewise, the poll found that 44% of voters believe the country is on the right track — another all-time high for the president. However, 51% disapprove of his performance and 54% consider the country on the wrong track, according to the poll. As a result, the survey determined that the bulk of Trump’s support bolstering his approval rating comes from Republicans. The poll also found that Trump has the largest partisan divide between his approval rating from Republicans versus Democrats in the past 80 years, based on previous NBC News polling and data from Gallup. While 90% of Republicans approve of Trump’s performance, only 4% of Democrats approve. TRUMP PROMISES ‘THIS WILL BE OUR GREATEST ERA’ IN JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS Meanwhile, a majority of voters disapprove of how he’s handling the economy — marking a first in the history of NBC News polls. Just 18% of voters consider the economy “excellent” or “good,” the poll found. Those numbers are even more stark along party lines. Twenty-six percent of Republicans responded that the state of the economy was “excellent” or “good,” while only 11% of Democrats responded the same way. The response indicates a stark shift from several months ago. It is a dramatic change from October 2024, when 5% of Republicans replied the state of the economy was “excellent” or “good,” in comparison to 52% of Democrats. A majority of voters do approve of Trump’s handling of immigration and border security, with 55% endorsing his performance. In comparison, 44% of voters said they disapprove. The Trump administration has promised to drive down illegal border crossings and Trump touted on March 6 that his administration has “launched the most sweeping border and immigration crackdown in American history.” TRUMP ADMIN REVEALS LIST OF CARTELS AND GANGS TO BE DESIGNATED TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS One thousand registered voters participated in the NBC News survey, which was conducted from March 7 to March 11 and has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. The poll kicked off a day after Trump delivered a joint address to members of Congress, when he vowed that he would tackle the economy and work to reduce prices, after blaming former President Joe Biden for leaving him an economic disaster. Consumer prices increased roughly 20% under Biden’s administration, according to the consumer price index. “Among my very highest priorities is to rescue our economy and get dramatic and immediate relief to working families,” Trump told lawmakers March 6. “As president, I am fighting every day to reverse this damage and make America affordable again.”
America celebrates Irish culture and politics on St. Patrick’s Day
Americans once again donned their green beads and shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day, celebrating the largest Irish diaspora in the world. St. Patrick’s Day has become an opportunity for Ireland and the United States to celebrate their rich cultural and political connections. New York City is hosting its 264th St. Patrick’s Day Parade today – marking the oldest and longest standing St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world. The first parade was held in 1762, predating America’s Declaration of Independence. Major cities across the United States hosted their own St. Patrick’s Day parades this weekend – including Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Chicago. Chicago even dyes the Chicago River green each year to mark the celebration. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson kicked off the Irish celebrations last week by welcoming Taoiseach Micheál Martin to the White House. IRISH LEADERS BOYCOTT WASHINGTON ST PATRICK’S DAY EVENTS OVER TRUMP’S GAZA COMMENTS “America’s truly been blessed by the courage and unstoppable spirit of the Irish,” Trump said at the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon on Wednesday. “Over the generations, Americans of Irish ancestry have helped build our railroads and raise our cities and man our factories, enrich our culture with art and music and literature – we see that all over – and protect our communities by joining the proud tradition of Irish-American police officers and firefighters. And few have done more for the Stars and Stripes than the sons and daughters of the Emerald Isle.” PRESIDENT TRUMP SLAMS ROSIE O’DONNELL AFTER SHE FLEES US: ‘YOU’RE BETTER OFF NOT KNOWING’ HER While the first wave of Irish immigrants arrived in the United States in the 1700s, immigration reports reveal the Great Famine in the 1800s nearly doubled the population of Irish in the United States – as over a million Irish died from starvation while another million immigrated to the United States. Trump, a native New Yorker, spoke with pride of New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, watching “hundreds of citizens decked in Irish green” marching up Fifth Avenue and past “the most beautiful cathedral in the world,” St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The Taoiseach’s trip to Washington, D.C., began with a breakfast at the vice president’s residence, followed by the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon and a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office answering questions from reporters. “Irish America has been at the heart of shaping this great nation. The ideals of liberty, democracy and equality of opportunity forged in this country did much to inspire Irish independence. Our histories are interconnected because our people are interconnected. Today, as the president has said, more than 30 million people claim Irish ancestry in the United States,” Martin said. The celebratory events were not without some political tension when Trump said the United States has a “massive deficit” with Ireland because they “took our pharmaceutical companies away from presidents who didn’t know what they were doing.” Trump said the European Union, which includes Ireland, “treats us very badly.” Martin countered Trump’s comments, saying, “It’s a two-way street to where we are investing a lot more in America now.” However, Trump maintained that reciprocal tariffs were only fair. Martin presented Trump with a crystal bowl filled with shamrocks, a tradition that dates back to 1952 to symbolize the long-standing friendship between Ireland and the United States. Martin said the Shamrock Bowl ceremony is “an important moment to reflect upon the relationship between our two countries.” Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill, Sen. Ted Kennedy, and fellow Irish-American lawmakers began the Friends of Ireland Caucus and Luncheon in 1981, during “The Troubles.” “The Troubles” were a period of political and sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s and 1998. Irish Republicans, who were predominately Catholic, sought a united Ireland, while Unionists, who were mostly Protestant, wanted Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom. When Britain tried to enforce military conscription in Ireland during World War I, Irish nationalists, labor unions and the Catholic Church united in opposition. As support for Irish independence grew, Sinn Féin, an Irish nationalist party, gained popularity following the 1916 Easter Rising. After winning a majority in the general election in 1918, Sinn Féin declared Irish independence and established the First Dáil, or the Irish Parliament. But Britain refused to recognize Irish independence, leading the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to launch the Irish War of Independence in 1919. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 ended the war and created the Irish Free State, which became the Republic of Ireland in 1949 and allowed the six counties of Northern Ireland to remain in the United Kingdom. Catholics in Northern Ireland faced discrimination from the unionist government, who favored Protestants. Inspired by the Civil Rights movement, Catholics began peaceful protests demanding equal rights in Northern Ireland in the 1960s. Conflicts between the unionist government and nationalist protesters escalated into “The Troubles” – 30 years of violence between British soldiers and the IRA. The United States was instrumental in ending “The Troubles” in 1998. Former President Bill Clinton helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which largely ended the violence in Ireland by establishing a power-sharing agreement between unionists and nationalists – strengthening the relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Martin on Wednesday said former President Ronald Reagan initiated the United States’ role in the peace process, as the first U.S. president to visit Ireland. The Reagan administration helped develop the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985, which laid the groundwork for the Good Friday Agreement. “Nowhere is the strength of the U.S.-Irish relationship more in evident than in our own peace process. 44 years ago, President Reagan called for a just and peaceful solution to the conflict that has for so long devastated lives on our island. Politicians from both sides of the aisle rose to the occasion, and the lasting peace we enjoyed today on our island is a signature achievement of U.S. foreign policy, and this story of
‘We are bullish’: House GOP takes aim at these 26 Dem seats in midterms
The House GOP campaign committee is taking aim at more than two dozen Democrats in the chamber as it aims to expand its very fragile majority in next year’s midterm elections. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) on Monday released its initial target list for the 2026 midterms, which included 26 Democrats from coast to coast. Republicans currently control the House, when the chamber is at full strength, with a 220-215 majority. While the party in power, which clearly is the Republicans, traditionally faces serious political headwinds in the midterm elections, the NRCC chair is optimistic. FIRST ON FOX: HOUSE REPUBLICANS TAKE AIM AT DEMOCRATS OVER THIS KEY VOTE Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., emphasized in an interview on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” that 13 of the 26 House Democrats they are targeting are in districts that “were carried by President Donald Trump in the last election.” Hudson characterized the upcoming midterms as an “opportunity election for House Republicans.” And Hudson, who is steering the House GOP’s campaign arm for a second straight cycle, added, “We are bullish. Republicans are on offense thanks to Donald Trump.” HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR MAKES PREDICTION ABOUT 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS The Democrats on the NRCC’s target list include Reps. Josh Harder (9th District), Adam Gray (13th), George Whitesides (27th), Derek Tran (45th), and Dave Min (47th) of California; Darren Soto (9th) and Jared Moskowitz (23rd) of Florida; Frank Mrvan (1st) of Indiana, Jared Golden (2nd) of Maine; Kristen McDonald Rivet (8th) of Michigan; Don Davis (1st) of North Carolina; Chris Pappas (1st) of New Hampshire; Nellie Pou (9th) of New Jersey; and Gabe Vasquez (2nd) of New Mexico. Also on the list are Dina Titus (1st), Susie Lee (3rd) and Steven Horsford (4th) of Nevada; Tom Suozzi (3rd), Laura Gillen (4th) and Josh Riley (9th) of New York; Marcy Kaptur (9th) and Emilia Sykes (13th) of Ohio; Henry Cuellar (28th) and Vicente Gonzalez (34th) of Texas; Eugene Vindman (7th) of Virginia; and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (3rd) of New Mexico. The rival Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) recently released a list of what it considers its most vulnerable incumbents – known as Frontliners. Reps. Jahana Hayes of Connecticut, John Mannion of New York and Janelle Bynum of Oregon all made the DCCC list, but were not included on the NRCC list. Meanwhile, Moskowitz, Pappas and Soto weren’t listed as Frontliners, but were included on the NRCC list. The DCCC, responding, pointed to their performance in last November’s elections when the Democrats took a small bite out of the GOP’s House majority. “House Democrats overperformed across the country in 2024, powered by our battle-tested candidates who won despite the NRCC’s false bravado and these Frontliners will win again in the midterms,” DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton told Fox News Digital. “The truth is House Republicans are running scared and refusing to hold town halls because they don’t want to get yelled at for their failure to lower prices, bungling the economy, and cutting Medicaid in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires like Elon Musk.”
DR Congo and M23 rebels confirm participation in Angola peace talks
Talks, which DRC previously rejected, will seek to resolve the spiralling conflict in the east of the country. The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, as well as the Congolese government, have confirmed that they will participate in peace talks in Angola. A spokesperson for the M23 said on Monday that a delegation has been sent to Angola’s capital, Luanda. The rebel group has captured key areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) mineral-rich east since the start of this year in a major offensive that has killed many thousands. A delegation representing the DRC is now in Luanda for Tuesday’s talks, a spokesperson for President Felix Tshisekedi told The Associated Press news agency. Tshisekedi had earlier refused direct negotiations with the rebel group over the conflict, which has longstanding roots. M23 has also sent a delegation to Luanda, spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said on X. Angola has been trying to mediate a ceasefire for many months. Peace talks were cancelled late last year after Rwanda insisted on direct dialogue between the DRC and M23, which the Congolese government refused. Advertisement However, Luanda announced last week that it would host direct peace negotiations. M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa declared last week that the rebels had forced Tshisekedi to the negotiating table, saying “peace begins with dialogue. The sooner we talk, the sooner peace becomes a reality.” Humanitarian crisis The conflict in the eastern DRC escalated early this year when M23 rebels carried out a lightning offensive and seized the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu. M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern DRC, near the border with Rwanda. The conflict has created one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises. More than seven million people have been displaced, while 7,000 people have reportedly died since the start of the year. M23 is supported by about 4,000 soldiers from Rwanda, according to the United Nations, and has previously pledged to march to the DRC capital, Kinshasa. Rwanda says its forces are acting in self-defence against the Congolese army and militias hostile to Kigali. The conflict, which has blighted the eastern DRC for decades, is rooted in the spillover into the country of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, as well as the struggle for control of its vast mineral resources. The UN Human Rights Council launched a commission in February to investigate atrocities, including allegations of rape and killing akin to “summary executions” by both sides. Adblock test (Why?)
The world must not accept the ‘new normal’ in Palestine
When I returned to my hometown near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank in January, the tension was palpable. It reminded me of the second Intifada, which I witnessed firsthand as a child. There was fear and anxiety and an increased sense of uncertainty due to constant attacks by Israeli settlers. Roads to and from the town were blocked by checkpoints, leading to hours-long waits and humiliation for Palestinians trying to enter or leave. Weeks before I visited, Israeli settlers had set fire to my family’s land during the olive-picking season. This followed a similar attack last summer and two more the year before, which had destroyed property, crops, and ancient olive trees. My father told me he stood powerless, unable to extinguish the fire as the armed settlers were protected by Israeli forces. Even if the soldiers hadn’t been there to prevent any action to save the property, there would not have been enough water available to put out the fire because it is diverted by nearby illegal settlements. Advertisement The situation across the occupied West Bank has been worsening for years, but violence escalated sharply after October 7, 2023. Nearly half of all Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces or settlers since records began were killed in just the past two years. So far this year, that violence has seen a two-year-old shot in the head by an Israeli sniper inside her family home, and a 23-year-old pregnant woman killed by Israeli fire. These are not isolated incidents, but part of a broader pattern where Palestinians are killed in unprecedented ways, at unprecedented rates. Israeli military raids on Palestinian homes and arbitrary detention have become a daily occurrence. Of the 10,000 Palestinians lingering in Israeli prisons, more than 300 are children, most of whom face no charge and have no way of knowing if or when they will see their families again. Villages are attacked, homes are demolished, and property is destroyed at accelerated rates. The architecture of occupation — checkpoints, barriers, and permits — has intensified and made daily life unbearable for Palestinians. Nearly 900 new military checkpoints and barriers have been installed since October 7. This has led to severe movement restrictions and disruptions to essential services, deepening an already dire humanitarian crisis. What was once unprecedented has become “routine” – and the world seems to be getting used to it. Our new reality includes Israeli air strikes on refugee camps, hospitals under siege, children shot in front of their homes. Such incidents of brutal violence have become regular occurrences, just like in Gaza. Advertisement Remember the first hospital attack in Gaza? The first targeting of a school sheltering the displaced? The first fire from an Israeli air strike tearing through tents of the displaced and burning people alive? Now try to remember the last one. Such violent incidents have become so normalised that they are ultimately accepted as a grim reality in a faraway land. The same is now happening in the occupied West Bank. As Save the Children’s representative to the United Nations, I see how this dynamic is reflected on the international stage. The persistent lack of meaningful accountability for Israeli forces has fostered a culture of impunity — allowing acts like bombing schools, burning down homes, and the killing of journalists and humanitarian workers to become perceived as “normal”. And even when the spotlight is cast on Palestine at global events, it seems to make no difference. Earlier this month, the Palestinian-Israeli film No Other Land won the Oscar for best documentary. Accepting the award, Palestinian filmmaker Basel Adra expressed his hope that his infant daughter would not have to live the same life that he was currently living – always fearing settler violence, home demolitions and forced displacement. Despite the film winning the highest accolades (or perhaps because of it), the attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers on Masafer Yatta, Adra’s community, have only intensified. There has been no meaningful action from the international community about it. People can be forgiven for being overwhelmed in the face of relentless brutality taking place for more than a year and a half now. It’s only human to feel numb. Besides, so many people have been exposed to media coverage that has systematically dehumanised Palestinians and sidelined their voices, severing human connection and empathy. Advertisement But governments cannot be forgiven for taking no action. They have a legal obligation to uphold international law. Its norms are not relative; they are not up for negotiation. The truth is that the shocking violations taking place in Gaza and the West Bank have been normalised because they are being accepted by those entrusted to uphold the norms of international law. We must demand that international bodies and governments take concrete steps to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. This includes suspending arms transfers and supporting mechanisms that challenge impunity for those who flout international law. The global community must act decisively to restore respect for international law. States that ignore these laws undermine the very foundation of a rules-based global order. While those who violate children’s rights and international law bear ultimate responsibility, all member states of the United Nations have a duty under the Geneva Conventions to ensure adherence to these principles. Weekly massacres are not normal. A population brought to the brink of a man-made famine is not normal. Air strikes on refugee camps are not normal. A two-tier system of rights based on ethnicity is not normal. Detaining, imprisoning and killing children is not normal. The time for passive observation has passed. The world must demand accountability, support humanitarian efforts, and refuse to accept the unacceptable. Every delay costs more lives; every delay weakens the system designed to keep people across the world safe. Only through collective action can we break this cycle of violence and ensure a future where children in Palestine and Israel, regardless of their ethnicity or religion, are protected and valued. Advertisement The views expressed in this article are the author’s own
Will Gen Z ever be able to retire?
We look at how Gen Z is reshaping the very concept of retirement. Millions of young workers are turning away from traditional retirement plans, arguing that the system no longer reflects today’s economic realities. Generation Z isn’t interested in climbing the corporate ladder. Instead, they’re forging their own paths. But will they ever be able to truly retire? With soaring costs, job instability and an uncertain economy, traditional pensions feel like a relic of the past. Does Gen Z need to prepare for a lifetime of work? Presenter: Anelise Borges Guests:Teresa Ghilarducci – Economics professor, The New SchoolJulie Rose – Travel coach and digital nomad blogger Adblock test (Why?)
SHOCKING! Anonymous letter exposes sexual abuse of students by UP teacher, 59 obscene videos surface
UP police are searching for suspended college Chief Proctor Rajnish Kumar, accused of sexually abusing students, recording videos, and using them for blackmail.