In Georgia, four years of US election fraud claims resonate among voters
As the rumours surrounding the dumpster and the false claims of thrown-out ballots spread, Ben Johnson, a local tech entrepreneur, tweeted at L Lin Wood, a lawyer who led efforts to challenge the 2020 results in Georgia and Michigan on behalf of Trump. Johnson claimed to have “the source video for ballots found in the dumpster in Spalding County”, as reported by the Daily Beast, citing since-deleted posts. Less than a year later, Johnson, whose posts also appear to support pro-QAnon conspiracy theories, became chair of the Spalding County election board. Most recently, in August, Gabriel Sterling, a top Republican election official in the state, posted on X that the “actual evidence points to no fraud” in Georgia’s 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022 elections. Johnson shot back, “Gabe’s pic[ture] is beside the definition of #gaslighting on dictionary.com” But Dexter Wimbish, a local lawyer and one of two Democratic members on the election board, feels there is more behind Johnson’s appointment. Prior to 2020, the election board was divided evenly between Republicans and Democrats. The fifth and final member was chosen by coin toss. But after the election, Republican state legislators passed a law mandating that three top county judges instead choose the final board member. As those judges are conservative, Wimbish explained, the change all but guaranteed that Republicans would dominate the board. “I really believe that Spalding County is sort of a test site for the right in terms of coming up with local strategies to to interfere with the election process,” Wimbish said. He pointed to a recent decision by the board to require hand-counting audits of one local and one federal race, which he argued could lead to protracted litigation after election day, while stoking confusion. Concerns peaked when Georgia’s state board passed new election rules that allowed county officials to investigate and potentially not certify election results in some cases. A report by Pro-Publica identified Spalding, along with Troup and Ware, as counties in Georgia with election boards dominated by election sceptics that could have outsized influence in light of those rules. However, a Georgia judge has since declared the new rules “illegal, unconstitutional and void”, saying that local officials were mandated to certify the election results. The state’s Supreme Court has said it will not intervene before the election. Spalding County Democratic Committee vice chair Elbert Solomon speaks from his office in Griffin, Georgia [Joseph Stepansky/Al Jazeera] But in places like Spalding County, there may still be trouble, local observers warn. Wimbish, the Democrat member of the Spalding County election board, told Al Jazeera, “it’s clear that the majority of the board welcomes litigation because they think the litigation is going to bring about their their desired outcome…I still think there’s a strong possibility that we’re going to see some sort of election controversy in Spalding County with the upcoming election.” Elbert Solomon, the vice chair of the Spalding County Democratic Committee, has also been a vocal critic of the new board. “Here in Spalding, if they could come up with some reason not to certify the election, I believe they would,” Solomon told Al Jazeera from his office in Griffin. “They have the majority vote.” For his part, Johnson has maintained during public meetings that the board seeks to act in a non-partisan manner. He did not respond to a request for an interview from Al Jazeera. Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli soldiers in Gaza surprised to be identified by their online posts
NewsFeed Israeli soldiers in Gaza are seemingly surprised that they are being identified through their social media posts. Some are now worrying about possible consequences. Published On 31 Oct 202431 Oct 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
CA lawmakers slam ‘ivory tower’ state energy ‘politburo’ as estimated 65-cent gas price hike looms
A top California Republican lambasted the prospect of a 65-cent-per-gallon hike in gas prices next month, accusing the state’s energy resources board of being wealthy and out of touch with the working class. Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones of San Diego cited an analysis reported in the Ventura County Star that new regulations up for a vote Nov. 8 will lead to the near-two-thirds-of-a-dollar hike. “A governor who lives in idyllic Marin County, a millionaire CARB executive officer, and a Democrat-exclusive board filled with wealthy politicians, former politicians, and academics have set themselves up as judge, jury, and executioner,” Jones said. The Republican added it seems the board members are looking down from their “ivory tower” at the “struggling middle class and working poor.” SUNUNU NAMES TWO GOVERNORS ALL THE OTHERS HATE “Their ‘we know what’s best for you’ attitude is infuriating for hardworking Californians who are already scraping by just to fill their tanks at current prices, let alone after this new hike.” CARB – the California Air Resources Board – itself reportedly estimated the hike would come out to be 47 cents. The regulations include stricter limits on carbon intensity in fuel, the paper said. California already has the highest combined (local-state-federal) gas tax in the nation, at 87 cents, followed by Pennsylvania and Illinois at about 78 cents, according to a 2020 analysis by the American Petroleum Institute. Jones quipped that he isn’t sure whether it is “arrogance, ignorance or both that the CARB politburo seems to be operating under” in regard to a major jump in already-elevated gas prices. TOP REPUBLICAN DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM NEWSOM, FEDS OVER WRONGFUL MEDICAID PAYMENTS TO CERTAIN CA IMMIGRANTS Ten of the 16 members are “considerably wealthier” than the average Californian, and Chairman Steven Cliff, who was also a Biden NHTSA appointee, is a millionaire, according to public records cited by the lawmaker. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who appointed several of the members of CARB’s board, was recently asked whether he will require CARB to disclose the true cost of the gas hike. “You’re the boss,” a reporter said. “I’m not the dictator,” Newsom replied. “I think you heard exactly what I said — I think it’s important to be transparent.” Additionally, state Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, R-San Bernardino, and Assemblyman Greg Wallis, R-Riverside, urged CARB chair Liane Randolph to postpone its Nov. 8 vote until costs can be officially calculated. The lawmakers noted that Californians pay an average $1.50 more per gallon than the Lower 48 average. Meanwhile, state Sen. Henry Stern, D-Malibu, has defended CARB. In one exchange, he told a critic that he sits as the Senate’s ex-officio appointee on the board, and that innovation and competition drive down costs. “It’s wrong to assume there will be a downstream impact of oil’s compliance with LCFS (though they’ve spent millions propagandizing this warning). Electric vehicles used to be expensive. Now they’re mainstream. Renewable diesel used to be pricey. Now it’s competing with petroleum diesel. That’s why they really want to end LCFS and the regulators who enforce it,” Stern wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Stern recently told KCRA that CARB is “not necessarily good at communicating this to the public. And that’s where folks like me come in and cut through it a bit.” Amid the back-and-forth, two major oil companies reportedly may be closing refineries in California. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Last week, Phillips66 announced it would shutter a refinery in Los Angeles, according to OilPrice.com. Now, Valero is reportedly citing regulatory pressures from the Golden State government and leaving “all options on the table,” according to the energy news site. The frustration with CARB’s work extends beyond Republican circles. Democratic Assembly member Wendy Carrillo of Los Angeles sharply criticized the board for its lack of transparency, echoing concerns raised by an NBC reporter who was repeatedly denied interview requests. “When I chaired the Assembly Budget Committee on State Administration, one of my biggest frustrations were [agencies] and departments asking for funding but weren’t prepared [with] data and lacked transparency at public hearings – a direct result of laws ceding legislative oversight to administration,” Carrillo said. CARB did not respond to a request for comment.
New watchdog report shatters Biden-Harris narrative about ethics, ‘transparency’: ‘Just a myth’
FIRST ON FOX: A new report from a government watchdog organization is blasting the Biden-Harris administration’s claims that it is the “most ethical and transparent” administration in history, calling it a “myth.” “From its onset, the Biden-Harris administration promised to ‘bring transparency and truth back to government,’ per then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki,” the 26-page report from Protect The Public’s Trust states. “Psaki also claimed that President Joe Biden ‘is committed to ensuring we have the most ethically vigorous administration in history.’ However, the administration and its executive branch agencies have often failed to live up to these high ideals, and the myth of a scandal-free administration is just that: a myth.” The report outlines alleged ethics violations throughout the Biden administration from the White House, HHS, Department of Interior, Department of Energy, EPA, Department of Commerce, State Department and other various complaints. WHITE HOUSE STYMIED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENTIAL ETHICS BILL, SAYS TOP HOUSE DEM In the Biden White House, the report outlines alleged ethics issues with the Office of White House Counsel (WHCO) and The White House and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) including allegations that Biden’s White House lawyers were acting as his personal attorneys amid the investigation into mishandling of classified documents. The report also suggests that White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has violated the Hatch Act, along with White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates, and raises concerns about former press secretary Psaki’s “apparent conflict of interest while looking to leave federal service for a high-salary television job.” DEMS IN HOT SEAT FOR ALLEGED ETHICS VIOLATIONS OVER ALITO RECUSAL DEMANDS In the portion of the report that discusses President Biden’s HHS, the report says “no agency has lost so much credibility during the Biden-Harris administration” as HHS. “As it took the reins amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden-Harris HHS disregarded ethical and scientific integrity principles as it issued farreaching recommendations governing nearly every aspect of Americans’ lives,” the report states. “PPT exposed a number of potential violations and filed several complaints against appointees in the department and its component agencies to help preserve what little remains of the public’s trust.” The report outlines how Biden’s Department of Interior (DOI) “has a record of cutting ethical corners in favor of special interest policies” and that the Department of Energy has given DOI a “run for its money” with its own questionable ethics decisions. “Ethics issues in the Biden-Harris administration didn’t end with Hunter Biden and the president’s family,” Michael Chamberlain, Director of Protect the Public’s Trust, told Fox News Digital. “Despite their claims to be the most ethical in history, we’ve documented possible ethics violations in most of the Cabinet-level agencies, including confirmed Hatch Act violations, conflicts of interest, and all the hazards that come with having a revolving door between official D.C. and well-connected activist groups.” “While others have found similar Biden-Harris breaches, they are not the groups and media outlets that were so enthusiastic about uncovering problems in the last administration. Just because the public hasn’t heard much about these in the legacy media, we caution everyone to beware of future attempts to paint this as a ‘scandal-free’ administration.” The report concludes by saying many of their documented complaints have led to “investigations by Inspectors General, the Office of Special Counsel or other investigative bodies, or prompting letters from Congressional committees.” “As is often the case when it comes to government, sunlight is the best disinfectant,” the report concluded. “The light we have shone on these incidents may be useful when revisionist historians begin twisting their tales in the coming years, to help expose the myth of a ‘scandal-free’ administration as just that: a myth.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response.
Biden targeted by GOP resolution condemning ‘garbage’ remark about Trump supporters
FIRST ON FOX: President Biden is getting hit with a resolution in Congress condemning his “garbage” remarks while discussing former President Donald Trump’s supporters earlier this week. “President Biden must be condemned for calling millions of Americans who support Donald Trump garbage,” Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn., who is introducing the measure later this week, told Fox News Digital. He linked it to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s infamous quip that half of Trump supporters were a “basket of deplorables” during her doomed 2016 presidential bid. TRUMP CALLS FOR SUPPORTS TO ‘FORGIVE’ BIDEN IN SHOW OF UNITY AFTER PRESIDENT CALLS SUPPORTERS ‘GARBAGE’ “First, Democrats called half the country deplorables. Now, they are doubling down, calling us garbage. Democrats’ disrespect for half the country’s views and opinions is exactly what is wrong with the leadership of extreme far-left liberals,” Rose said. Republicans have been hammering Biden – and by extension 2024 Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris – over the remarks, even forcing top Democrats to distance themselves from the controversial comment. The White House has denied that the president called Trump supporters “garbage,” and interpretations of what the 81-year-old leader said have been hotly debated. Biden was asked about Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden during a virtual call with Voto Latino. Democrats had accused Republicans of racist rhetoric during the event, particularly one of comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s jokes referring to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” SLOTKIN SLAMS FELLOW DEM BIDEN FOR ‘GARBAGE’ GAFFE AMID HEATED SENATE BATTLE He responded by saying, “Donald Trump has no character. He doesn’t give a damn about the Latino community. He’s a failed businessman. He only cares about the billionaire friends that he has and accumulating wealth for those at the top.” “And just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a ‘floating island of garbage.’ Well, let me tell you something…in my home state of Delaware, they’re good, decent, honorable people. The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters – his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been,” Biden said. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted Wednesday that he was referring to Hinchcliffe’s joke. “He does not view Trump supporters or anybody who supports Trump as garbage. That is not what he views,” she said. Biden himself posted a similar explanation on X earlier this week. “His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation,” the post said. BIDEN CALLS TRUMP SUPPORTERS ‘GARBAGE’ DURING HARRIS CAMPAIGN EVENT AS VP PROMISES UNITY AT ELLIPSE RALLY However, that has done little to stem the Republican backlash, particularly with Election Day less than a week away. Trump arrived at his Wednesday campaign stop in Wisconsin in a garbage truck and wore a high-visibility vest throughout his rally. Vivek Ramaswamy, one of his surrogates, posted a video of himself on the job with sanitation workers. Harris distanced herself from the comments Wednesday morning, telling reporters, “I think that, first of all, he clarified his comments. But let me be clear, I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for.” Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who is running in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country, went even further. “In terms of what President Biden said yesterday, he shouldn’t have said it. I mean, it’s inappropriate. And, for me, I just think that kind of talk is the last thing we need in our politics,” Slotkin told Michigan radio station WWJ Newsradio. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Rose’s resolution.
Fox News Democracy ’24: The keys to the count in every battleground state
The countdown to election night is on. Officials across the country are preparing to count tens of millions of ballots. Every state reports votes differently, and that means the candidate in the lead in any race can change throughout election night and the days after. For example, a state that reports votes from cities and suburban areas is likely to appear more Democratic in the early parts of the evening but become more Republican as rural areas report. MILLIONS OF VOTERS HAVE ALREADY CAST BALLOTS FOR NOV. 5 ELECTION Similarly, states that report their in-person votes first might look like they’re going for the Republican candidate. When they start reporting mail ballots, the overall Republican lead can diminish or become a Democratic lead. This was the “red mirage” in several battleground states in the last presidential election. Counting often takes longer in highly populated states. Fox News will make a projection of a race when the data indicates a clear winner and there is no scenario where the trailing candidate will overtake the leader. This guide to ballot counting in the seven battleground states uses Associated Press reporting of the process in each state and aligns with Fox News’ analysis of previous returns. Returns could look different in this year’s election. We expect fewer Americans to vote before election day, and Democrats and Republicans appear to be less divided on how they cast ballots. And as this guide explains, some states have changed their ballot counting processes since 2020. Most importantly, every state has measures in place to ensure votes are counted correctly and securely. Elections officials regularly test ballot counting machines, track the location of ballots, and use measures ranging from barcodes to watermarks to ensure that only eligible voters can vote. In Arizona, ballots cast and processed before Election Day are the first to be reported after polls close. These ballots have tended to favor Democrats, ever since the issue of early and mail voting became highly politicized during the 2020 election. Mail ballots that are delivered on Election Day take much longer to tabulate because election workers do not begin processing or verifying them until after polls close. In Maricopa County, which has the state’s largest population, about 20% of the nearly 1.6 million votes cast in 2022 were mail ballots dropped off on Election Day. In Arizona, recounts are automatic if the vote margin is 0.5% of the total vote or less. Georgia state law allows county elections officials to begin tabulating mail ballots at 7 a.m. on Election Day. As a result, the first votes reported on election night will include many of these mail ballots as well as early in-person votes. Overall, these ballots have tended to favor Democrats, ever since the issue of early and mail voting became highly politicized during the 2020 election. This suggests that the Democratic candidate in a competitive contest could take an early lead in the vote count in the initial vote reports after polls close, even though the race may tighten considerably as more votes are tabulated. There is no automatic recount provision in Georgia, but a losing candidate may request a recount if the margin is less than or equal to 0.5% of the total vote. A new law gives local elections officials more time to process and tabulate absentee mail ballots, which should help alleviate the logjam that slowed ballot counting in the 2020 presidential election. Cities and towns with at least 5,000 people may begin processing and tabulating ballots up to eight days before Election Day, while smaller jurisdictions may begin the morning before Election Day. In 2020, more than 3.1 million voters cast their ballots by mail, about 56% of all ballots cast. State law at the time prevented election workers from opening the envelopes and preparing ballots for the count until the night before Election Day. Trump took an early lead in the vote count on election night, but that lead began to erode overnight and early Wednesday morning, and Biden took the lead later that afternoon. The law change may result in a speedier release of mail voting totals and may mitigate the so-called “red mirage” that Trump falsely claimed was evidence of voter fraud in Michigan and in a handful of other key states. Recounts are automatic in statewide races in Michigan if the margin between the top two candidates is 2,000 votes or fewer. Candidates may request and pay for a recount regardless of the vote margin, and the state covers the cost if the recount changes the outcome. Nevada conducts its elections predominantly by mail. In 2021, the state adopted a law requiring mail-in ballots to be automatically sent to active voters, making permanent an emergency measure implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the midterm elections the following year, about 80% of voters cast their ballots in-person before Election Day or by mail. Mail ballots that are postmarked by Election Day will be counted if they are received by Nov. 9, four days after Election Day. With a large number of mail ballots potentially arriving after Election Day, the outcome of some highly competitive races might not be determined until these additional mail ballots are received and tabulated. State Republicans challenged this law, but a federal court dismissed the lawsuit in July. In recent elections, votes counted after Election Day have been heavily Democratic. Although most ballots are cast by mail, voters have the option of voting in-person at a polling place on Election Day. The state does not release any vote results until the final voter in line has cast a ballot, which could be well after the time polls formally close. Nevada does not have an automatic recount law, but candidates may request and pay for a recount within three days of the county or statewide canvass, regardless of the vote margin. North Carolina has a track record of counting votes relatively quickly, leaving only about 1% of the vote uncounted after election night. This year,
Delhi’s air quality deteriorates to ‘very poor’ category, likely to worsen after festival
Delhi’s air quality continued to deteriorate, remaining in the “very poor” category on Diwali, with levels expected to worsen to the “severe” category due to bursting of firecrackers at night.
Advocate for ‘gender affirming care’ for prisoners named by AG Garland to corrections advisory board
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a progressive state prison official — who was instrumental in establishing “gender-affirming care” for trans inmates in Washington state — to serve on the Justice Department’s National Institute of Corrections (NIC) advisory board. Among the policies implemented was one where pat-downs or other searches would be “performed by a correctional officer of the gender formally requested by the transgender individual.” For example, a biologically male inmate identifying as a trans woman could require that a female prison guard perform the search. Cheryl Strange was first appointed to the position of Washington state Department of Corrections Secretary by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee in May 2021. “This is a great honor at the tail end of my career,” Strange said in a statement Monday. “In Washington state, we have enacted nation-leading reforms that have created a more humane corrections system while also improving public safety. I look forward to participating with other national leaders at the federal and state government levels on approaches that can be implemented nationally.” ‘SCARED’ AND ‘TRAUMATIZED’: WALZ’S SUPPORT FOR TRANS WOMEN IN MINNESOTA WOMEN’S PRISON ‘ENDANGERING’ INMATES According to its website, NIC works “to influence correctional policies, practices, and operations nationwide” in both federal and state correctional systems. The NIC advisory board provides recommendations to raise prison standards to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Department of Justice and Congress. Strange’s appointment to the NIC board comes just days before the November general election. “Secretary Strange’s appointment is a testament to her lifelong commitment to public service and reform,” Federal Bureau of Prisons director Colette Peters said in a news release Monday. “Her progressive leadership transformed Washington state’s corrections system, prioritizing both public safety and humane treatment and her vision and experience will be invaluable as NIC and the Advisory Board work to raise the standard of corrections nationwide.” Last year, the Washington DOC and Disability Rights Washington agreed to change their policies regarding transgender inmates as part of a settlement that began in 2019. Under the new terms, the Washington DOC implemented a “Gender-Affirming Mental Health Specialist” to each prison and required “more transgender-focused training to correctional officers and provide gender-affirming clothing to transgender individuals.” WALZ ADMINISTRATION SETTLES LEFT-WING GROUP’S TRANS INMATE LAWSUIT, COSTING MINNESOTA TAXPAYERS NEARLY $500K The agency’s compliance with the new policy will be monitored until 2026. “This is a landmark agreement and we look forward to continuing to work closely with DRW to implement it,” Strange said in a statement at the time. “We have already made substantial improvements to the gender-affirming care offered to transgender incarcerated individuals in recent years, and this is another step in the right direction.” The agreement also included that the “DOC will ensure that transgender individuals in restrictive housing still have access to gender-affirming property,” as well as “Pat-downs and searches of transgender individuals will be performed by a correctional officer of the gender formally requested by the transgender individual.” DOJ WON’T PROSECUTE AG GARLAND FOR CONTEMPT FOR REFUSAL TO TURN OVER AUDIO FROM BIDEN, HUR INTERVIEW According to a DOC news release, “The department has already taken significant steps to update its policies to ensure the equitable treatment transgender, intersex and non-binary incarcerated individuals since Secretary Strange’s arrival in 2021.” Washington is one of several states that have enacted transgender treatments for inmates on the taxpayer dollar in recent years. Strange has also helped reform other aspects of the prison system, such as programs geared at lowering recidivism rates among inmates, like education and job skill training. The Justice Department did not return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
RFK indicates Trump ‘promised’ him ‘control’ over ‘public health agencies’
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has indicated that former President Donald Trump plans to give him “control” over the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Kennedy indicated that Trump “promised” him “control” over “public health agencies, which are HHS and its sub-agencies, CDC, FDA, NIH, and a few others,” plus the USDA. He made the comments in a video clip that has been circulating online. The New York Times reported that Kennedy noted via text that the video was a recording from an internal talk with campaign workers regarding get-out-the-vote efforts for Trump. “I stand ready to help him rid the public health agencies of their pervasive conflicts and corruption and restore their tradition of gold-standard, evidence-based science,” Kennedy said in a statement, according to the outlet. The HHS secretary and USDA secretary posts are both cabinet-level positions. RFK JR. SOUNDS OFF ON TOP DEMOCRATS OVER ‘APPALLING’ TRUMP RHETORIC: ‘EXPLOSIVE’ “No formal decisions about Cabinet and personnel have been made, however, President Trump has said he will work alongside passionate voices like RFK Jr. to Make America Healthy Again by providing families with safe food and ending the chronic disease epidemic plaguing our children,” Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, according to reports. Kennedy initially pursued the Democratic presidential nomination, then switched to an independent presidential bid, and eventually dropped out and backed Trump. “When @realDonaldTrump gets me inside the USDA, we’re going to give farmers an off-ramp from the current system that destroys soil, makes people sick, and harms family farms,” Kennedy posted. SUPREME COURT DENIES RFK JR EFFORT TO GET HIS NAME REMOVED FROM MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN BALLOTS When podcast host Joe Rogan asked Trump whether he is fully committed to including Kennedy in his administration, Trump said, “I am.” During his recent rally at Madison Square Garden, Trump said he will let Kennedy “go wild on health,” food and medicine. “One of the first things I will do once we get @realDonaldTrump back in the White House and me to D.C. is to get ultra-processed foods out of school lunches,” Kennedy posted. ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. UNLEASHES ‘MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN’ AGENDA Kennedy has said that public health entities like the CDC, NIH, FDA, and USDA “have become sock puppets for the industries that they’re supposed to regulate.” He said that he and Trump will “replace the corrupt industry-captured officials with honest public servants.”
Biden admin faces mounting pressure to dismantle migrant parole program amid ‘stress’ on small towns
FIRST ON FOX: Pressure is growing on the Biden administration to shut down its migrant travel program for four nationalities, as Republicans say migrants from those countries have caused “stress and burdens” on communities throughout the U.S. Twenty-seven lawmakers, led by Reps. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., and Chip Roy, R-Texas, have written to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas calling for the end to what they say is an “unlawful” parole process for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans (CHNV). The program allows up to 30,000 nationals each month to enter the U.S. via humanitarian parole from those four countries after receiving advance travel authorization. More than half a million nationals have entered as part of the program, which is part of the effort to expand “lawful pathways” by the administration. However, the lawmakers note communities across the U.S. that have reported intense strain due to an influx of migrants from those countries, particularly Haiti. HAITIAN MIGRANTS OVERWHELMING SMALL INDIANA TOWN: ‘IT’S JUST OVERRUN’ “While the United States faces an unprecedented crisis, created by the Biden-Harris Administration, at our southern border, nearly 530,000 inadmissible aliens have entered the U.S. through the CHNV program since January 2023 alone. This decision has placed significant financial stress and burdens on communities across the United States, including Charleroi, Pennsylvania; Springfield, Ohio; and Logansport, Indiana,” they write. Fox spoke to residents in Charleroi, some of whom say they have seen significant pressure due to Haitian migration, including on schools and other services. In Logansport, residents have said they have been “overrun” as the population has grown by 20-30% since 2021, mostly from Haitians. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians and Venezuelans in the U.S., meaning many arrivals are protected from deportation and can receive work permits. The lawmakers say that, according to 25 governors, the administration has “failed to communicate arrival times, duration of residency, legal status, and locations of CHNV parolees while also creating ‘considerable confusion and alarm among local officials and the general public.’” SWING STATE OFFICIAL WARNS VILLAGE STRUGGLING WITH FINANCIAL LOSSES AFTER INFLUX OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS They also note that the Biden administration paused issuing authorizations briefly after fraud was found among sponsor applications in the program. Recently, the Biden administration said it would not be renewing paroles for arrivals but would still be accepting new applications. “We call on the administration to end the unlawful, fraud-filled CHNV program and curtail TPS and other immigration relief provided to aliens paroled through CHNV. Without doing so, the Biden-Harris Administration’s immigration policies will continue to place significant burdens on communities across our nation,” they say. The DHS said it “responds to congressional correspondence directly via official channels, and the Department will continue to respond to congressional oversight.” HAITIAN MIGRATION ROILS TOWN IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE WITH SIGNS OF PRO-TRUMP SUPPORT ON THE RISE Meanwhile, officials have stressed that CHNV processes are a “safe and orderly way” to reach the U.S. and have been linked to a 99% drop in encounters between ports of entry at the border from those nationalities. They have stressed that migrants are responsible for their own travel and that DHS does not select their final destination, although they are vetted by multiple databases and not allowed in if they do not pass that process. The agency says it is “working with communities on their unique situations, and developing new efficiencies that speed up the work authorization process and providing on-the-ground immigration services to migrants who are eligible to apply for a work permit but have not yet done so.” Officials have also noted that more than $650 million has been allocated to support communities receiving migrants throughout the U.S. by DHS. The letter comes as migration and related border security has become a top issue in the election. Former President Donald Trump has promised to shut down parole programs if allowed into office. This week, Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., introduced legislation that would limit the number of parolees to 1,000 a year and curtail the use of TPS. Vice President Kamala Harris has pledged to sign a border security bill if elected while also renewing her calls for a more sweeping piece of legislation that includes a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants — including TPS recipients.