Ken Paxton sues TikTok for violating new Texas social media law
The attorney general argues that the popular short form video app has not complied with a new state law that seeks to protect children who are active online.
Fox News Politics: Jack Smith Strikes Back
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, featuring the latest political news from Washington, D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. Here’s what’s happening… – Biden says he would not back Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear sites… – North Carolina congresswoman’s husband is stranded in Hurricane Helene… – Liz Cheney and Kamala Harris team up on the trail in Wisconsin… A federal judge on Wednesday unsealed a key filing from special counsel Jack Smith’s updated election interference case against former President Donald Trump. U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia Tanya Chutkan unsealed Smith’s 165-page filing, in which Smith argues that Trump is not immune from prosecution for his alleged criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 election results. Smith submitted the document after the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year ruled that a president is immune from prosecution for official acts. “Although the defendant was the incumbent President during the charged conspiracies, his scheme was fundamentally a private one,” Smith wrote. “Working with a team of private co-conspirators, the defendant acted as a candidate when he pursued multiple criminal means to disrupt, through fraud and deceit, the government function by which votes are collected and counted — a function in which the defendant, as President, had no official role.” …Read more ‘RECKLESS FAILURE’: Watchdog group wants DOI investigated over ‘failure’ to protect federal property …Read more ‘SOWN CHAOS’: Eye-popping number of migrants with national security concerns arrived in US on Biden’s watch: report …Read more ‘PROPORTIONAL’: Biden says he would not back Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear sites …Read more ‘POLITICAL MISINFORMATION’: 8 Dem lawmakers demand social media execs protect against ‘misinformation’ …Read more CUT OFF: NGOs aiding illegal migrants would be barred from federal money under Gaetz bill …Read more ‘SHOCKED BY DEVASTATION’: North Carolina congresswoman’s husband stranded in home in district ravaged by Hurricane Helene …Read more ‘SERIOUS THREAT’: Dozens of lawmakers sound alarm to Garland on noncitizen voting …Read more EYE OF THE STORM: Trump targets Biden, Harris over federal response to hurricane …Read more HEATING UP: Ohio GOP Senate candidate Moreno hits Brown on Inflation Reduction Act vote in ad that’s part of $25M buy …Read more ‘ONE CANDIDATE GETS IT’: Voters in key swing county tell Fox what’s driving their vote this November …Read more HARRIS AND CHENEY: Vice President Kamala Harris will team up with leading anti-Trump Republican Liz Cheney in battleground Wisconsin …Read more BADGER STATE BRAWL: Trump trails Harris by 4 points in Wisconsin but leads on issues: poll …Read more VIRGINIA SENATE DEBATE: Clinton ex-running mate Kaine, GOP challenger Cao spar on immigration, DEI in military …Read more PUNTED: Federal judge blocks California law banning election deepfakes …Read more ‘MOST IMPORTANT THING’: Stevie Nicks releases ‘anthem’ to Roe v. Wade, abortion rights …Read more Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
FEMA has funds needed for ‘immediate response and recovery,’ despite Mayorkas’ warning
The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has the funds needed for “immediate response and recovery” in the wake of Hurricane Helene – even as Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned about a potential lack of money. “FEMA has what it needs for immediate response and recovery efforts,” spokesperson Jaclyn Rothenberg said on X. “As [Administrator Deanne Criswell] said, she has the full authority to spend against the President’s budget, but we’re not out of hurricane season yet so we need to keep a close eye on it.” The agency had recently lifted immediate needs funding, which allows the agency to focus on urgent efforts and pause non-urgent projects, but Rothenberg said the agency may still need to go back to that “and we will be watching it closely.” HURRICANE HELENE SURVIVOR SAYS WATER ROSE 4 FEET WITHIN MINUTES Mayorkas had grabbed headlines on Wednesday when he said that it does not have enough funding to make it through the hurricane season, which lasts until November. “We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have. We are expecting another hurricane hitting,” Mayorkas said. “FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season.” He spoke on Air Force Once as the states and the federal government assess the damage from Helene, which hit several states and has killed more than 160 people. His calls echoed those by President Biden, who said that Congress may need to pass a supplemental spending bill to help states. Congress recently made $20 billion in immediate funding available for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund as part of a bipartisan deal to avoid a government shutdown at the end of last month. But Congress is currently out until mid-November, after Election Day Mayorkas later clarified his remarks at the same event, saying that the short-term funding does not give the agency stability. “We have the immediate needs right now. On a continuing resolution, we have funds, but that is not a stable source of supply, if you will,” he said. “This is a multibillion-dollar, multiyear recovery.” “It’s very important to note that even though we’re on a continuing resolution, we can obtain spend-fast funds so that we can dip into funds that are slated for the duration of the year to meet immediate needs,” he said. “So, we are meeting the moment, but that doesn’t speak about the future and the fact, as I mentioned earlier, that these extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and severity, and we have to be funded for the sake of the American people. This is not a political issue.” On the hill, a source familiar with the congressional appropriations process also said that the Disaster Relief Funding is not in immediate danger of running out of money. FOX CORPORATION LAUNCHES DONATION DRIVE FOR AMERICAN RED CROSS HURRICANE HELENE RELIEF EFFORTS “While we will not know the full cost of Helene until the first 30-day estimate comes in, FEMA ended last year with a little less than $2 billion (which carried over). The CR also provided them access to an additional $20.261 billion. That is roughly $22 billion in total for this fiscal year so far,” they said. Meanwhile, Mayorkas’ remarks about a potential lack of funding had drawn criticism from Republicans and conservatives, who had pointed to funding used by FEMA for grants to house and care for illegal immigrants who had crossed the southern border. “Mayorkas and FEMA — immediately stop spending money on illegal immigration resettlement and redirect those funds to areas hit by the hurricane,” Gov. Greg Abbott said on X. Critics referenced the Shelter and Services Program (SSP) spent $650 million in FY 23 on grants to non-profits and local organizations to assist migrants. But the Biden administration pushed back, noting that the funding is appropriated by Congress and completely separate from disaster relief funding. “These claims are completely false,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “As Secretary Mayorkas said, FEMA has the necessary resources to meet the immediate needs associated with Hurricane Helene and other disasters. The Shelter and Services Program (SSP) is a completely separate, appropriated grant program that was authorized and funded by Congress and is not associated in any way with FEMA’s disaster-related authorities or funding streams.” White House spokesperson Angelo Fernandez Hernandez called the claim that money had been spent on services for illegal immigrants instead “false.” “The Disaster Relief Fund is specifically appropriated by Congress to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate impacts of natural disasters. It is completely separate from other grant programs administered by FEMA for DHS.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Melania Trump’s abortion views in new memoir spur outrage from pro-lifers: ‘She is wrong’
Former first lady Melania Trump is drawing heat from pro-life advocates over an excerpt in her memoir where she suggests a woman’s right to choose an abortion is a “fundamental right of individual liberty,” according to a report Wednesday. Melania Trump wife of Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump, wrote the memoir entitled “Melania” that is scheduled to come out on Oct. 8, per the Amazon release date. In the book, according to a preview by The Guardian, Melania expresses a viewpoint that has historically been at odds with the Republican Party’s platform. “It is imperative to guarantee that women have autonomy in deciding their preference of having children, based on their own convictions, free from any intervention or pressure from the government,” Melania reportedly wrote. TRUMP RISKS LOSING SOME PRO-LIFE VOTERS UNLESS HE CHANGES ‘HIS TUNE’ ON ABORTION, ACTIVIST WARNS “Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body? A woman’s fundamental right of individual liberty, to her own life, grants her the authority to terminate her pregnancy if she wishes. “Restricting a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the same as denying her control over her own body. I have carried this belief with me throughout my entire adult life.” The excerpts quickly drew the ire of pro-life advocates who have already been disgruntled by some of Trump’s seemingly ambiguous comments regarding abortion. “Melania Trump’s support of abortion is anti-feminist and clearly outside the teaching of our Catholic faith. She is wrong,” wrote Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America advocacy group. PRO-LIFERS BLAST TRUMP ‘BETRAYAL’ WITH SHIFTING ABORTION STANCE, ANSWER ON FLORIDA AMENDMENT 4 Lila Rose, founder of leading pro-life advocacy group Live Action, also responded to a promotional video Melania posted for her memoir in which she states, “Individual freedom is a fundamental principle that I safeguard… what does my body my choice really mean?” “Who is this Melania Trump, or Kamala Harris? Functionally the same exact position on abortion,” Rose wrote on X. VANCE, WALZ SPAR OVER ABORTION AND IMMIGRATION IN FIRST AND ONLY VP DEBATE President of pro-life advocacy group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, Marjorie Dannenfelser, wrote on X: “The women of America are capable of great strength and creativity. They are naturally inclined to speak for those who are powerless. Abortion is not the source of their freedom and liberation.” In August, Trump sparked confusion among pro-life supporters about where he stood on an amendment that would upend Florida’s ban on abortions after six weeks’ gestation. Trump, after saying “I think the six-week is too short, there has to be more time,” to an NBC reporter when asked how he would vote, later walked it back and said he would vote against the amendment. Other spouses of Republican presidents, such as Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush and Laura Bush, have been recorded either during or after their husbands’ tenure in office expressing pro-choice views. Trump has also said he opposes a nationwide abortion ban and the GOP’s official platform softened its language about its abortion stances this year. Fox News Digital has reached out to Melania Trump’s office for comment but did not hear back by publication deadline.
Doctors are boycotting Texas conferences over abortion restrictions
A breast cancer surgeon has created a California alternative to a major Texas event, while other medical conferences have left Louisiana and Arizona.
Judge rules that Biden admin violated environmental law in halt of border wall construction
A federal judge ruled in favor of a southern border rancher who had argued that the Biden administration had violated environmental law in it’s “haste to reverse its predecessor’s border policies” in 2021. An Arizona rancher, Steven Smith, was part of the lawsuit, Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform et al. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, challenging the Biden administration. The suit claimed that the Department of Homeland Security had failed to conduct a mandatory review required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) before halting border wall construction, a key Trump-era project. Under NEPA, a federal agency must conduct an Environmental Assessment to determine whether a federal action has the potential to cause significant effects on the human environment, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. After a two-day bench trial, Judge Trevor McFadden of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a ruling on Friday that Smith “suffered concrete and particularized injuries” as a result of DHS not meeting the requirements of NEPA. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH ‘TERRORISM TIES’ WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLOIT BORDER, HOMELAND SECURITY REPORT WARNS The Trump-appointed judge also concluded that the actions taken by DHS, such as ending the “Remain in Mexico” policy, resulted in indirect effects relating to population growth. Smith testified that migrant activity on his ranch had “dramatically increased” after President Joe Biden was elected, and that he had begun seeing illegal immigrants on his property multiple times a month and finds trash on a daily basis. Smith claimed that the trash left by the migrants has had negative impacts on the environment, as well as on his own cattle, which were eating the litter. GAETZ TO INTRODUCE BILL CUTTING OFF FEDERAL AID TO GROUPS HELPING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ENTER US The rancher also testified that water for cattle and other wildlife was a very scarce resource and that migrants were taking it from a trough on his land. According to court documents: “While this may aid thirsty trespassers, it causes Smith to lose ‘thousands and thousands of gallons of water,’ which ‘can take [him] days and days and days to regain.” The judge ruled that Smith, a Cochise County resident, “suffered tangible harms” caused by the migrant crisis and is entitled to relief after illegal immigrants “trespassed onto his land, stole his water, and trashed his property.” “At trial, Smith proved as a matter of fact that his harms traced to migrants who reacted predictably to DHS’s decisions,” the ruling reads.
Emhoff denies report he slapped ex-girlfriend outside ritzy overseas movie event
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff denied the veracity of a Daily Mail report in which three unnamed sources accused him of having slapped a former girlfriend during a 2012 trip to the Cannes Film Festival. Fox News Digital has not been able to independently confirm the allegations. “This report is untrue,” an unnamed representative for Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband told news outlet Semafor. “Any suggestion that he would or has ever hit a woman is false.” The Daily Mail’s exclusive story on Tuesday quoted a trio of unidentified sources who claim Emhoff slapped his then-girlfriend while the couple waited in a valet line following an event in Nice, France, in 2012. The alleged altercation was purportedly sparked when the woman – identified only by the pseudonym “Jane” and described as a successful New York attorney – flirted with a valet, according to the article. The Harris campaign, the Office of the Vice President and a representative for Emhoff’s ex-wife, Kerstin Emhoff, did not comment despite repeated requests from Fox News. Several media outlets, including Semafor, noted they had been unable to match the Daily Mail’s reporting and legacy media companies such as the New York Times have yet to report on the claims. The Daily Mail’s article hinged on the recollections of three people described as being Jane’s friends. The outlet said its sources requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation from Emhoff. The three friends reportedly provided the outlet with a photo of the pair when they were still a couple, as well as itineraries and correspondence between Emhoff and Jane to substantiate that they made the trip to France in May 2012. ‘HE IMPREGNATED HIS KID’S NANNY’: PSAKI RIPPED AFTER CLAIMING EMHOFF ‘RESHAPED’ MASCULINITY One of the sources is described by the Daily Mail as a female New York attorney who learned about the alleged incident from Jane. “He hauled up and slapped her so hard she spun around,” the source is quoted as saying. “She said she was in utter shock. She was so furious, she slapped him on one side, and then on the other cheek with the other hand.” Another friend, described by the Daily Mail as a New York businessman, told the outlet Jane called him sobbing following the alleged incident. PROGRESSIVE WOMEN’S GROUPS SILENT ON SECOND GENTLEMAN DOUG EMHOFF’S AFFAIR “It was very clear what she was telling me,” that source said, according to the Daily Mail. “She said she was with a guy, her date, she was at the Cannes Film Festival, and he hit her. She was in the car with the guy at the time.” The male friend said he learned more details about the alleged episode after the initial phone call. “It was something like 3 a.m. They were trying to get out of there and they both had been drinking. There was a gigantic line for taxis,” he told the outlet. “She went up to one of the valet guys, offered him 100 euros or whatever, to get to the head of the line. She told me she put her hand on his shoulder. Doug apparently thought that she was flirting, and came over and slapped her in the face.” A third friend, described as a female executive, told the Daily Mail that she learned of the alleged incident in 2014, and purportedly found out new details from Jane in 2018, when Harris, then a senator from California, made headlines with her questioning of a Supreme Court nominee who had been accused of sexual assault. “[She] is a gorgeous, strong woman and you would never expect somebody to hit her,” the third friend told the Daily Mail. “When he hit her she hit him back, like, ‘Don’t you ever do that again,’” KAMALA HARRIS’ HUSBAND DOUG EMHOFF ‘RESHAPED THE PERCEPTION OF MASCULINITY’: MSNBC HOST The third Daily Mail source added: “I asked her if he ever apologized. She said ‘no,’ but he commented about the hit she gave him. It was a tennis metaphor. But no apology at all.” All three friends told the outlet that Jane hit Emhoff back after the alleged initial slap. They also claimed that Jane tried to leave the valet area after the alleged slap, but that Emhoff got into a cab with Jane. Jane and Emhoff had been dating for about three months before the reported trip to France, according to the friends. Emhoff allegedly cut the trip short and returned to the U.S. for his daughter’s birthday at the end of May, and never saw Jane again, the friends told the outlet. Emhoff’s alleged relationship with Jane unfolded after his 2008 divorce from his first wife and before his 2014 marriage to Harris. The New York Post on Wednesday slammed Emhoff as “Worst Gentleman” in its cover story detailing the Daily Mail’s article. Emhoff is fresh off of a Sunday sit-down interview on MSNBC during which Jen Psaki celebrated him as having reshaped “the perception of masculinity.” “There is also an important, interesting part about how people have talked about your role is how your role has reshaped the perception of masculinity,” Psaki said. “I’m not sure you planned on that, but you are an incredibly supportive spouse. Has that been an evolution for you? Do you think that’s part of the role you might play as first gentleman?” Emhoff responded: “It’s funny. I’ve started to think a lot about this. I’ve always been like this. My dad’s always been like this. To me, it’s the right thing to do, support women. It is mutual with Kamala and I. We support each other, we have each other’s back.” DOUG EMHOFF’S EX-WIFE RESPONDS AFTER SECOND GENTLEMAN ADMITTED TO AFFAIR WITH NANNY He added: “I’ve said many times when we lift up women, we support women, whether it’s pay equity, child care, family leave, and all of these issues in this post-Dobbs hellscape. Women should not be less than. Women should not have less rights and be treated differently. That’s not the
8 House Dems demand to know how social platforms are preparing to combat ‘misinformation’ and ‘disinformation’
Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff issued a letter to major social media executives this week demanding they reveal how they will combat “misinformation” and “disinformation” in the 2024 election. The letter, co-signed by seven other members of Congress, accuses social media platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok of failing to properly prepare for malicious info-hazards in November. “We write to your platforms as concerned Members of Congress, seeking further information about your preparation for and response to the spread of misinformation and disinformation, or the potential incitement of violence on your platforms leading up to the 2024 elections,” the California congressman wrote. “We have already seen how posts with disinformation have spread on the major social media platforms both in the United States and across the globe during election cycles.” NRA ACCUSES META OF ‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE’ AFTER LABELING POSTS HITTING HARRIS ‘FALSE INFORMATION’ The letter continued, “We continue to be concerned with each of your companies’ ability to react efficiently and effectively to misinformation and disinformation, or to any potential incitement of violence occurring on your platforms.” In the letter, the signers accused social platforms Meta, Discord, and Snap specifically of “[reducing] their elections team dramatically” following the 2022 elections. X, Meta, and TikTok were singled out and scolded for having “not increased their transparency for external groups who can aid in monitoring election information.” NEWSOM’S DEEPFAKE ELECTION LAWS ARE ALREADY BEING CHALLENGED IN FEDERAL COURT “While the impetus of this letter is the 2024 election, political and election-related mis- and disinformation persists even between elections, so we are also urging your companies to commit to taking action on election and political misinformation year-round, not just in the leadup to elections.” A series of specific questions are offered at the end of the letter, including “Will your company be changing your election integrity policies between now and the 2024 U.S. general election?” and “How will your company be more transparent in enforcement of its community guidelines regarding election integrity and transparent with the public about actions it has taken?” “Will your company commit to sharing data and metrics on the effectiveness of your enforcement systems in relation to US elections and political speech?” the Democratic congress members asked. “How will your company address mis- and disinformation made by political actors or verified accounts, and how will they be treated differently, if at all, compared to ordinary users?” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The letter was co-signed by Democratic Representatives Julia Brownley of California, Andre Carson of Indiana, Dan Goldman of New York, Robert Garcia of California, Raúl M. Grijalva of Arizona, Hank Johnson of Georgia and Doris Matsui of California. It was addressed to the following executives: Mark Zuckerberg, Meta; Linda Yaccarino, X; Shou Zi Chew, TikTok; Sundar Pichai, Google; Adam Mosseri, Instagram; Evan Spiegel, Snap; Neal Mohan, YouTube; Satya Nadella, Microsoft.
Voters in critical Michigan county focused on economy, candidate character as 2024 race tightens
Voters in Kent County, Michigan, could play a large role in determining who wins November’s presidential election, but many voters in the area are still undecided about their choice. “I think there is too much division in his country. I think people on the left and people on the right hate each other a lot and I don’t think that’s right,” said one Kent County voter, who told Fox News Digital he is still undecided. The comments come as Kent County, which includes Michigan’s second-largest city of Grand Rapids and much of the surrounding area, figures to play an outsized role in November. While Michigan is well-known as one of the seven key swing states in the upcoming election, Kent County figures to be one of the key counties. Holding over 6% of the state’s population, the county has traditionally been known as a conservative haven. TRUMP TAKES NFL, NBA TO TASK ABOUT KNEELING DURING NATIONAL ANTHEM However, that trend has started to reverse itself in recent years, starting when former President Barack Obama was able to capture the county in 2008. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, won the county during his presidential bid in 2012, while former President Donald Trump took Kent County in 2016. It went back to Democrats in 2020, when President Biden was able to capture this important part of Michigan. This year’s race promises to feature Kent County again, though some voters there remain unconvinced by the candidates. “Something which stood out to me about Trump is that he didn’t bring us into any wars,” one undecided voter said before noting that he believed Vice President Kamala Harris’ “stance is a lot clearer on LGBTQ rights.” Immigration stood out as an issue to some Kent County voters, with one telling Fox News Digital the issue was a matter of human rights. “People having the rights to be in our country and the rights to health care,” said the voter, who indicated he was voting for Harris. VANCE, WALZ VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE ENDS WITH BOTH CANDIDATES TOUTING ‘NEW’ FUTURE “Hopefully she can bring down housing costs and pretty much just inflation for young people like myself,” he added. “Trying to buy a house, trying to get loans and cars and things like that is very important for people of my age.” However, another voter disagreed on the economy, arguing Trump is the right candidate to lead the country forward. “I believe that a person who has run a company, that’s been in business, can do a better job than a lifelong politician in terms of making decisions,” the voter said. That voter also indicated support for Trump on foreign policy, arguing he garnered the respect of world leaders. “I think he was not afraid to stand up for what he felt is right,” he said. “I think other world leaders took note of that.” Another voter, who indicated foreign policy was a key issue, disagreed. “One candidate gets it and the other doesn’t,” the voter, who indicated support for Harris, told Fox News Digital of the reason he is voting for Harris. “She understands the importance of our standing on the global stage, international politics, and our national security. I don’t think Trump understands that,” the voter continued. Yet others had more trouble picking a candidate, most notably because of the divisive nature of modern politics. “One day I’ll go one way and another day I’ll go another way,” one undecided voter told Fox News Digital. “It’s hard to take her seriously, nothing sticks out about her,” she said on Harris, while also noting that he finds it “very hard to believe” that someone as rich as Trump ” could care about people that don’t have any money.” The voter also deducted points from Trump because of the “tone of his voice.” “The name calling, I don’t particularly care for that,” the voter said. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Over 1.7M migrants who could pose national security risk arrived in US during Biden admin: report
FIRST ON FOX: More than 1.7 million migrants have been encountered at the U.S. border and have come from countries that officials believe pose a national security threat to the United States, according to a new House report. The report by the House Judiciary Committee says the number of “special interest aliens” (SIAs) came from a congressional staff briefing by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials. SIAs are those who have come from countries identified by the U.S. government as having conditions that promote or protect terrorism or potentially pose some sort of national security threat to the U.S. In 2019, the DHS defined an SIA as “a non-U.S. person who, based on an analysis of travel patterns, potentially poses a national security risk to the United States or its interests. Often such individuals or groups are employing travel patterns known or evaluated to possibly have a nexus to terrorism.” HARRIS VISITS CRUCIAL BORDER STATE AS IMMIGRATION RECORD SPARKS SCRUTINY: A TIMELINE “DHS analysis includes an examination of travel patterns, points of origin, and/or travel segments that are tied to current assessments of national and international threat environments,” it said. The House report says that there are currently 26 special interest countries, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Syria and Turkey. The agency recently removed 11 countries from the list and added 12 others, including North Korea, China and Venezuela. The U.S. has seen numerous Chinese and Venezuelan nationals in particular, with nearly 300,000 Venezuelans encountered at the border this fiscal year so far and more than 73,000 Chinese nationals. Border Patrol sources have previously told Fox News they have extreme concerns about people coming across from special interest countries, given they have little to no way to vet them. Unless they have committed a crime in the U.S. or are on a federal watch list, agents have no way of knowing their criminal history because their countries do not share data with the U.S., so there is nothing to match their name against when authorities run their fingerprints. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH ‘TERRORISM TIES’ WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLOIT BORDER, HOMELAND SECURITY REPORT WARNS The committee said that DHS told the committee that being a national from a special interest country does not affect a migrant’s admissibility into the U.S., although officials have previously stressed that all migrants are vetted using a multi-layered process that includes biographic and biometric information. As an example of the risks that can be posed by the release of SIA migrants, the committee pointed to the case of Mohammad Kharwin, who was released into the U.S. and later on bond by an immigration judge despite potential terror ties. The DHS located and rearrested him two weeks later. DHS has since agreed to a voluntary departure of Kharwin from the U.S., and he is currently in ICE custody. “Congress must take seriously its efforts to secure the border and stop the weakening of U.S. national security,” the report said. “As the case of Mohammad Kharwin exemplifies, the Biden-Harris Administration has sown chaos at America’s borders and allowed potential national security and counterintelligence threats to enter the United States—and, at least in Kharwin’s case, be released into the country multiple times,” it said. The report found that there were around 98,000 SIA encounters in FY 21, which went up to 482,705 in FY 22, then 597,058 in FY 23 and 531,768 in FY 24 so far. Of those, most were encountered at the southern border, with 95,705 southwest border encounters of special interest aliens in fiscal year 2021; 465,664 in 2022; 566,079 in 2023; and 504,215 in 2024 so far. The increase in SIAs has come amid an ongoing debate about the southern border and how to tackle it. The Biden administration has pointed to a sharp drop in encounters since June, which it attributes to a June presidential proclamation which limited the number of asylum entries into the U.S. According to those numbers, encounters between ports of entry have decreased by more than 50%, and DHS has removed or returned more than 131,000 individuals to more than 140 countries, including operating more than 400 international repatriation flights. “In that period, DHS has almost tripled the percentage of noncitizens processed for Expedited Removal, and the percentage of releases pending immigration court proceedings is down nearly half. Total removals and returns over the past year exceed removals and returns in any fiscal year since 2010 and a majority of all southwest border encounters during the past three fiscal years resulted in a removal, return, or expulsion,” Customs and Border Protection said in a release last month. It has also called for the passage of a bipartisan Senate bill that would increase funding to border agencies, including for detention beds, and would also place limits on migrant entries into the U.S. Conservatives have said it would codify high levels of illegal immigration. Vice President Kamala Harris visited the border in Arizona last week and hammered former President Donald Trump for his lack of support for the bipartisan bill. However, Republicans have noted that the House passed a sweeping border security bill last year, but the Senate has yet to pass that either. Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.