‘Soulless piece of crap’: Angry protester jumps on stage during Dem rep’s town hall
A Democratic lawmaker’s town hall was cut short after being disrupted by hotheaded protesters on Wednesday night, one of several disturbances at congressional events this week. “You are the most soulless piece of crap I have ever seen,” a pro-Palestinian protester yelled at Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., during his town hall in Downers Grove, Illinois, according to video captured at the event reported by CNN. The event saw interruptions from several other individuals, most of whom were protesting issues related to Israel and Gaza. “What you’re saying is I’m not going to get my way when my people are being slaughtered, and I want you to stop funding that,” the pro-Palestinian individual screamed before storming the stage where the congressman was standing. CHAOS ERUPTS AT GOP LAWMAKER’S TOWN HALL AFTER LEFT-WING GROUPS PROMOTE PROTESTS “If you would like to run for office, run for office,” Casten told the attendee. HOUSE DEM GETS EARFUL FROM ANGRY CONSTITUENTS: ‘SHOW SOME…BACKBONE’ Another individual approached the stage with a video camera as she yelled at the congressman. “People did not come here to hear you,” Casten told the attendee. “Show some respect for the people in this district.” During the event, Casten was also confronted by a pro-Israel attendee who approached the stage. Police were eventually called to the scene, and the event was cut short. “A small group of individuals have attended multiple of Rep. Casten’s events with the sole intent of disrupting and shutting down the event, preventing constituents from being able to participate and engage in the democratic process,” a spokesperson for Casten told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Rep. Casten is proud to have successfully hosted a half dozen town halls and community meetings so far this year and will continue to find ways to productively engage with his constituents,” the spokesperson said. The protest comes amid a slew of fiery disruptions at town halls across the country, affecting members on both sides of the aisle. An event hosted by Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., on Tuesday saw several interruptions from constituents, who told the congressman to “fight” and “show some of the backbone and strategic brilliance that Mitch McConnell would have in the minority.” Meanwhile, also this week, Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., hosted an event that was disrupted by hecklers who booed any mention of cost-cutting efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.
Tim Walz cheers Tesla stock tumble, but Minnesota state employees’ pension owns over 1M shares
More than 1 million Minnesotans own Tesla shares in their retirement funds, but that didn’t stop failed Democratic vice presidential hopeful and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz from mocking Tesla and CEO Elon Musk for its recent downward trend in the stock market. During a Wisconsin town hall this week, Walz remarked that he checks Tesla’s stock value when he wants to feel better. “Some of you know this. On the iPhone, they’ve got that little stock app. I added Tesla to it to give me a little boost during the day — $225 and dropping,” Walz said as the audience erupted in cheers. “And if you own one, we’re not blaming you. You can take dental floss and pull the Tesla thing off.” SUSPECTED TESLA ARSONISTS HIT WITH FEDERAL CHARGES IN ACTS OF ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’: AG But those diving stocks may actually be hurting Walz’s constituents, according to a June 2024 report from the Minnesota State Board of Investment that shows the state held 1.6 million shares of Tesla stock in its pension fund. As of March, Tesla’s stock is down 41.4% year-to-date after a series of vehicle vandalism incidents linked to growing backlash against Elon Musk’s role as head of President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). ELON MUSK IN ‘SHOCK’ OVER DEMS’ ALLEGED ‘HATRED AND VIOLENCE,’ LAMENTS ‘DERANGED’ ATTACKS ON TESLA PLANTS In response to Walz’s comments, Trump’s Rapid Response team wrote in a social media post, “When we need a little boost during the day at the White House, we walk around the corner from our office and admire these beautiful portraits.” The post included portraits of Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Trump also said Friday he views those committing crimes against Musk’s company “as terrorists” and told reporters the crimes are “under very serious investigation.” Investor Kevin O’Leary called Walz’s comments “beyond stupid” on CNN Thursday. “That poor guy didn’t check his portfolio and his own pension plan for the state,” O’Leary said of Walz. “It’s beyond stupid what he did. “What’s the matter with that guy?” he continued. “He doesn’t check the well-being of his own constituents.” ELON MUSK CONGRATULATES SPACEX, NASA FOR ‘EXCELLENT WORK’ RESCUING STRANDED ASTRONAUTS Walz is touring Republican-leaning districts across the U.S. and hosting town halls. His office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment before publication.
Reporter’s Notebook: Impeachapalooza is here to stay
And you thought they just wanted to impeach former President Joe Biden. Maybe former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas – whom the House did impeach last year. How about former FBI Director Christopher Wray? Former Attorney General Merrick Garland? Former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin? That is so 2023. INJUNCTION LIFTED ON TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS SLASHING FEDERAL DEI SUPPORT This is 2025. The Biden administration is long gone. But the concept of impeachment hasn’t waned for some House Republicans. And even for President Donald Trump. D.C. Circuit Court Judge James Boasberg ordered a two-week halt to the deportation of Venezuelan gang members after Trump leaned on the Enemy Aliens Act of 1798 to remove them from the U.S. The president didn’t mention Boasberg by name, but he whipsawed the jurist on social media. “This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!” wrote President Trump. He characterized Boasberg as a “Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge, a troublemaker and agitator who was sadly appointed by Barack Hussein Obama.” Elon Musk has pushed for the removal of judges whose rulings run afoul of the administration. But freshman Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, introduced articles of impeachment for Boasberg, accusing him of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” Gill argues that Boasberg “has done exactly what the Supreme Court commanded not be done.” Gill’s resolution asserts that Boasberg “illegitimately tried to substitute his own judgment for the elected President of the United States.” There are a total of four federal judges who could face articles of impeachment in the House. It’s unclear whether this effort could pick up steam. If conservatives wanted to go to the mat, they could try to make their impeachment resolutions “privileged” in the House. That would compel the House to consider such a proposal immediately. It also would go over the head of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. TRUMP ASKS SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW BAN ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., filed articles of impeachment for Biden two years ago. After inaction, Boebert attempted to fast-track her plan, circumventing the GOP leadership – to say nothing of hearings and preparation of the articles in committee. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., argued that impeachment was “too serious” to sidestep the rigorous steps usually undertaken. So, Republican leaders intervened. Once Boebert’s resolution was up, they moved to euthanize the plan by sending it to the Homeland Security Committee. The full House actually voted on the motion to dispatch the resolution to committee – not on impeachment. Otherwise, the House would have voted on impeaching Mr. Biden on the spot – committee investigation or not. The motion to send the resolution to committee actually inoculated a lot of Republicans from political angst. They wanted to talk about impeaching Biden. But few actually wanted to impeach Biden. Impeachment works the same with federal judges as it does with presidents or cabinet secretaries. The House has only impeached four federal judges in the past 36 years. The most recent impeachments were for the late Judge Thomas Porteous and former Judge Samuel Kent – both in 2009. After the House impeached Porteous, the Senate conducted a short trial and convicted him. That removed Porteous from the bench. The House also impeached Kent, but he resigned before the Senate could conduct a trial to remove him. Porteous was accused of accepting cash and bribes from lawyers arguing cases before him. A court convicted and sentenced Kent to nearly three years in jail for sexually abusing female employees. The Senate removed neither based on their judicial rulings. But here is what to watch: How much pressure will Trump and Musk apply on Johnson to advance the articles of impeachment? Johnson may have to finesse this. But Gill and other conservatives could attempt to go over the head of the Speaker, making their resolution “privileged.” That is what Boebert did, and it would force the House to tangle with the impeachment articles in some fashion. Republican leaders could move to table the resolution or try to send it to committee. Thus, the actual vote would not be on impeachment but on an issue two steps removed from that. U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts took the extraordinary step of publishing a statement about impeachment threats. “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision,” said Roberts this week. Fox is told House GOP leaders are anxious about what to expect from conservative lawmakers, stoked by the possibility of impeachment. GOP leaders simply don’t want to burn valuable time on this issue. But they’d like to talk about it. Trump supports a bill crafted by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., titled the “No Rogue Rulings Act.” The bill limits the scope of rulings by U.S. district judges, preventing their decisions from carrying nationwide weight. “The President wants this,” two White House sources told Fox News’ Liz Elkind. Issa characterized impeachment as a rather “dull tool” that should be restricted to actual criminality or malfeasance in office – such as the cases with Kent and Porteous. House Republican leaders could also shop the Issa bill to conservatives itching for impeachment as an alternative. However, even if the House were to OK Issa’s legislation, it would likely die in the Senate. It would need 60 votes to clear a filibuster. By the same token, if the House were to impeach Boasberg or any other judge, pressure mounts on Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to hold an impeachment trial. That could chew up valuable floor time as the Senate tries to wrestle with the complex “budget reconciliation” process to avoid a filibuster on President Trump’s plan to cut taxes and reduce the size of government. Moreover, a Senate impeachment trial certainly would not result in removal. It takes 67 votes to convict a federal judge and extract them from the bench. That is not going to happen. But the controversy
GOP rep sounds alarm over Dems ‘inciting far-left activists’ after private luncheon protest turns physical
EXCLUSIVE: A disruption over the Trump administration’s cost-cutting efforts turned physical after protesters crashed an event in a red New York district, prompting a Republican lawmaker to raise concerns over Democratic efforts to “organize protests” in GOP districts. Protesters disrupted a private luncheon hosted by the Rockland Business Association on Thursday, targeting one of the speakers, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., over Republican efforts to cut federal spending. A video obtained by Fox News Digital shows the protesters, who had bought tickets to the event, screaming, “Lawless Lawler” while holding up a sign that read, “Elon’s Puppet” in an apparent reference to cost-cutting efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The disruption quickly turned physical as the protesters wrestled with the event attendees, who were trying to put an end to the disruption. Lawler’s team, responding to the protest, pointed to comments by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., where he said that Democrats were sending people to Republican districts to oppose their policies and make them “face the consequences.” CHAOS ERUPTS AT GOP LAWMAKER’S TOWN HALL AFTER LEFT-WING GROUPS PROMOTE PROTESTS “We are mobilizing in New York. We have people going to the Republican districts and going after these Republicans who are voting for this and forcing them to either change their vote or face the consequences,” Schumer said during a recent interview with PBS. “This is a long, relentless fight that we fight every day. And I am confident that we will bring Trump’s popularity, numbers and strength down if we keep at it, and keep at it, and keep at it.” Ciro Riccardi, communications director for Lawler, told Fox News Digital, “It’s outrageous that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is inciting far-left activists to harass and intimidate Republican members of Congress.” “Yesterday, he appeared on PBS and declared: ‘We are mobilizing in NY. We have people going to the Republican districts, going after Republicans who vote for this & forcing them to change their vote or face consequences.’ Earlier that day, a bipartisan Rockland Business Association luncheon was violently disrupted by protesters, including known provocateur Walter Masterson from Brooklyn,” Riccardi said in a statement. “They assaulted multiple seniors in the process of reading from scripted remarks on their phones. Are these the kinds of ‘consequences’ Schumer is endorsing?” Riccardi told Fox. Lawler, in a repost of Schumer’s interview on X, said that “in other words, @SenSchumer admits that he is coordinating with far-left activists and groups like Indivisible to organize protests and gaslight folks.” The protest is one of several disruptions at congressional events this week. A town hall hosted by Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., was disrupted by protesters who heckled for over an hour during the congressman’s event. Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Trump downplays Canada’s liberal lean from Oval Office, calls border an ‘artificial line’
President Donald Trump called the U.S.-Canada border an “artificial line” while also declining to say whether Canada would lean right or left if it were to become a state. Trump’s Friday comments were made during a press conference in the Oval Office amid controversy over the president speaking of Canada as the “51st state.” Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked the president whether he would be “concerned” about whether Canada “would be a very, very blue state.” CANADIAN POLITICIAN CLAIMS TRUMP ADMIN’S ’51ST STATE’ RHETORIC IS AN ‘ACT OF WAR’ “It’s just an artificial line that was drawn in the sand or in the ice,” Trump said. “You add that to this country – what a beautiful landmass. The most beautiful landmass anywhere in the world. And it was just cut off for whatever reason.” “It would be great,” he continued. Trump circumvented the question, saying, “I don’t care who winds up there.” “Frankly, [it] probably would do better with the liberal than the conservative, if you want to know the truth,” he responded. CANADA ‘RAGE ROOM’ LETS VISITORS SMASH TRUMP, VANCE, MUSK PORTRAITS TO RELEASE TARIFF ANGST Trump referenced former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the exchange, whom he has notably called “Governor Trudeau.” Trudeau resigned as leader of the Liberal Party and the country’s prime minister in early January, following increased pressure and criticism from within his own party and threats levied by then-President-Elect Trump. Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney won the Liberal leadership earlier this month, replacing Trudeau. “I think Canada is a place like a lot of other places – if you have a good candidate, the candidate’s going to win,” Trump said. CANADA’S NEW PM AND TRUMP CRITIC MARK CARNEY ACCUSED OF BEING OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE ‘COMMON MAN’ Canadian MP Charlie Angus recently claimed the Trump administration had committed an “act of war” over Trump repeatedly referring to Canada as the U.S.’ “51st state” and for leveling tariffs on the nation. “Well, I think Marco Rubio probably needs to be sent back to school, because when you say that someone doesn’t have a right to have a country, that’s an act of war. When you rip up, arbitrarily, trade agreements and threaten and say you’re going to break a country, that’s an act of war. And Canadians have responded in kind,” Angus said during an interview earlier this week with the MeidasTouch Network. Trump leveled a 25% tariff on all imports of steel and aluminum from other nations in early March, while Canada specifically is set to face a 25% tax on all imported goods beginning April 2. The tariffs have sparked boycotts of U.S. goods. Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: DOJ Weighs Playing ‘State Secrets’ Card in Deportation Fight
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… –Illiterate high school grads sue school districts as Ivy League professor warns of ‘deeper problem’ -Court order halting deportation flights ‘unconstitutionally impedes’ on executive branch, Trump allies argue –Bernie Sanders, AOC take aim at Trump and Musk, as well as Democrats, at rallies The Justice Department said Friday it is considering invoking the state secrets privilege in its ongoing court battle over the Trump administration’s deportation flights to El Salvador, a tool that could allow them to withhold certain information for national security purposes. In a declaration filed Friday morning, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg that he is aware of the Cabinet-level discussions invoking state secrets privilege. Invoking that privilege “is a serious matter that requires careful consideration of national security and foreign relations, and it cannot properly be taken in just 24 hours,” Blanche said…Read more TRUMP EFFECT: Puerto Rico no longer safe bet for illegal migrants as Trump crackdown expands to US territory TRUMP CARD: Trump crackdown on transgender athletes in girls’ sports gets GOP backup in House bill ‘LOOKING FOR YOU’: Trump warns of jail time for Tesla vandals, anyone funding the attacks HAVE GUN, WILL GAVEL: Trump-appointed judge chides colleagues’ ignorance on guns in unique video dissent F-35 CLUB: Trump eyes lifting sanctions, potential sale of prized fighter jet to Turkey ‘STRENGTH AND SWORD’: Israel orders IDF to seize more Gaza territory if Hamas doesn’t release hostages ‘DEEPLY FLAWED’: Ex-Haiti envoy slams ‘deeply flawed’ approach of Biden admin ‘ACT OF WAR’: Canadian politician claims Trump admin’s ’51st state’ rhetoric is an ‘act of war’ FIRST OF ITS KIND: Trump’s hostage envoy Boehler met with Taliban in Kabul in first in person meeting since takeover ‘STOP THE COVID-19 VACCINES’: Greene calls for yanking FDA approval of COVID-19 vaccines SHAM APPLICATIONS: Husband of former Rep. Cori Bush charged with wire fraud linked to COVID relief funds: DOJ ‘IRRESPONSIBLE’: GOP bill would ban use of autopen to sign pardons after Trump deems Biden’s ‘void’ ‘DEAL WITH IT’: Fetterman takes swipe at AOC: ‘We kept our government open.’ BUCKING AUTHORITY: Satanic group defies Kansas officials, plans ‘black mass’ at state Capitol DOGE MADNESS: ‘Sweet 16’ bracket set up as craziest federal waste competes for championship SHIFTING RESPONSIBILITIES: Student loans, Pell grants will continue despite DOE downsizing, expert says ‘ACTIVIST JUDGES’: Musk PAC steps deeper into Wisconsin Supreme Court election with $100 offer to voters ‘INCREDIBLY HAPPY’: Tesla arsons probed as ‘domestic terrorism’ cheered by ‘anti-capitalist’ group linked to 2020 riots BOEING BUILDING: Boeing to build next-gen ‘F-47’ US fighter jet, Trump announces LONE STAR LEADING: San Antonio police to begin notifying ICE of illegal immigrant encounters SHIFTING FOCUS: HHS slashes over $350 million in grant funding for gender ideology, DEI research projects ‘HOMICIDE SCHOLARSHIPS’: NM lawmaker whose son was murdered rips Dems for ‘homicide scholarships’ after her crime bill was tanked Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Trump admin asks federal judge to dissolve injunction barring transgender military ban
The Trump administration asked a D.C.-based federal judge to dissolve a previous injunction blocking the Pentagon’s ban on transgender troops. In a Friday filing, the government argued that President Donald Trump’s executive order barring transgender individuals from serving in the military is not an overarching ban but instead “turns on gender dysphoria — a medical condition — and does not discriminate against trans-identifying persons as a class.” The government cited new guidance that the Department of Defense expects to implement, were it not for the ongoing litigation, that clarifies “the phrase ‘exhibit symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria’” solely applies to “‘individuals who exhibit such symptoms as would be sufficient to constitute a diagnosis.’” PENTAGON TO APPEAL JUDGE’S DECISION BLOCKING TRANSGENDER BAN, HEGSETH SAYS The filing cites a memo sent on Friday with the new guidance. Under the requirements, a party requesting to dissolve a preliminary injunction must demonstrate “a significant change either in factual conditions or in law” that shows that continued enforcement of the order would be “detrimental to the public interest.” “The March 21, 2025, guidance constitutes a ‘significant change,’” the filing reads. “Whereas the Court has broadly construed the scope of the DoD Policy to encompass all trans-identifying servicemembers or applicants, the new guidance underscores Defendants’ consistent position that the DoD Policy is concerned with the military readiness, deployability, and costs associated with a medical condition — one that every prior Administration has, to some degree, kept out of the military.” JUDGE WHO BLOCKED KEY TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER HAS LONG HISTORY OF LEFT-WING ACTIVISM, DEM DONATIONS The Trump administration further requested that, if the motion to dissolve was denied, the court should stay the preliminary injunction pending appeal. During a Friday hearing, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, a Biden-appointed federal judge, expressed that she wanted the Defense Department to push back their implementation deadline of the ban, allowing for more time in the appeals process. Reyes gave the government a 3 p.m. Friday deadline to circle back with her. “I don’t want to jam up the DC Circuit, that’s my main concern here,” Reyes said during the in-person hearing. “My chambers worked incredibly hard to get out an opinion on time.” “Use your considerable charm and skill to get your clients to agree to this,” she told government lawyers. Reyes issued a preliminary injunction in favor of the plaintiffs earlier this week, writing that the plaintiffs in the suit, which include transgender individuals, “face a violation of their constitutional rights, which constitutes irreparable harm” that would warrant a preliminary injunction. Reyes continued on to say that the “President and Defendants could have crafted a policy that balances the Nation’s need for a prepared military and Americans’ right to equal protection.” Reyes wrote at the time that they “still can.” FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP’S TRANSGENDER MILITARY EXECUTIVE ORDER “The Military Ban, however, is not that policy,” she continued. “The Court therefore must act to uphold the equal protection rights that the military defends every day.” “The Court’s opinion is long, but its premise is simple. In the self-evident truth that ‘all people are created equal,’ all means all,” Reyes wrote. “Nothing more. And certainly nothing less.” At issue in the case is a Jan. 27 executive order signed by Trump requiring the Defense Department to update its guidance regarding “trans-identifying medical standards for military service” and to “rescind guidance inconsistent with military readiness.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously said Wednesday the Pentagon would be appealing Reyes’ decision. “We are appealing this decision, and we will win,” Hegseth posted on X. Fox News’ Jake Gibson, Andrew Mark Miller, Cameron Cawthorne and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Democrat mayor blasted for vowing to make major city ‘safe haven’ for illegal immigrants
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey doubled down on his resistance to President Donald Trump and Border Czar Tom Homan’s immigration enforcement efforts today, vowing that his city will be a “safe haven” for illegal immigrants. Speaking at a town hall with other Democrat leaders, including “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Frey said: “I want all of you just to know exactly where we are as far as our neighbors go, Minneapolis will continue to be a safe haven for undocumented immigrants.” “Regardless of who you are or where you come from, Minneapolis is a place where you should be proud to call home,” he continued. BLUE SANCTUARY STATE OPERATING AS ‘CONTROL’ CENTER FOR VICIOUS MIGRANT GANG: ACTING DEA CHIEF Frey, a Democrat, has previously vowed not to cooperate with President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts, making him one of a slew of other blue city leaders across the country to take this stance. In an earlier speech, Frey assured illegals that in accord with the city’s “separation ordinance,” Minneapolis police would not gather information about people’s immigration status and would not arrest anyone for being in the country illegally. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “I want to speak to the undocumented. We love you; we care about you and the city of Minneapolis, we will stand up for you and we will do anything in our power to help,” he said. In response to Frey’s latest comments, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, whose district includes much of the Minneapolis suburbs and area around the Twin Cities, told Fox News Digital that “Mayor Frey should stop standing guard for criminal illegal aliens and start protecting the people of his city.” ‘BRING IT ON’: SHERIFF PUSHES BACK AFTER BLUE STATE LEADERS SUE TO STOP IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT “If anyone deserves a ‘safe haven,’ it’s the people of Minneapolis who’ve been forced to deal with the consequences of his failed leadership,” said Emmer. In February, Emmer and several other Minnesota Republicans wrote a letter to Frey condemning his stance, which they said poses a threat to the safety of citizens. “Just last year, ICE apprehended a known al-Shabaab terrorist in your city. This terrorist was an illegal immigrant who broke the law to enter our country during the Biden-Harris border crisis in March 2023. Last month, ICE arrested three illegal immigrants who are child sex predators in your neighbor city of Saint Paul,” they said. “Interfering with federal actions designed to ensure the security of your constituents is misguided.” “Your city and your constituents deserve to be protected from such threats, and we urge you to prioritize their needs over those of criminals and terrorists,” the letter went on, concluding: “It is time for you to put the safety of your constituents first.”
Trump flips script on reporter questioning administration’s authority to deport illegals
President Donald Trump on Friday pushed back against a reporter’s question in the Oval Office by asking whether former President Joe Biden had the legal standing to allow a high number of migrants into the United States during the previous administration. The Trump administration continues in its efforts toward mass deportations, including with recent Immigration and Customs and Enforcement raids, and migrant crossings plummeted in February to their lowest tracked level in decades. “Do you think you have the authority, the power to round up people, deport them and then you’re under no obligation to a court to show the evidence against them?” a reporter asked the president. PUERTO RICO NO LONGER SAFE BET FOR ILLEGAL MIGRANTS AS TRUMP CRACKDOWN EXPANDS TO US TERRITORY “That’s what the law says, and that’s what our country needs because … unfortunately, they allowed millions of people to come into our country. Totally unvetted, totally unchecked,” Trump said, referring to the Biden administration. “So you ought to ask, ‘Did he have the authority to allow millions of people?’ Did Biden have the authority to do something that’s unthinkable, have open borders where millions of people poured into our country, totally unvetted and totally unchecked, just as you would say. And many of those people were criminals,” the president added. “Many of them were from jails and prisons and mental institutions and gang members and drug dealers and very dangerous people. Many were murderers. We have 11,088 that we know of murderers. They murdered of that number. At least half killed more than one person. HEARING SET FOR TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER FEDERAL JUDGE’S BLOCK OF DEPORTATION FLIGHTS “So, when you asked me if we have the authority, did Biden have the authority to allow millions of people to come into our country? Many of these people are hardened criminals at the top of the line who have caused tremendous damage,” the president added. The administration is facing legal action over using the Alien Enemies Act against suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which Trump designated a foreign terrorist organization. The American Civil Liberties Union argues it is an “unlawful and unprecedented invocation of the act,” according to its website. IMMIGRATION IS DRIVING TRUMP’S POPULARITY, SAYS MATTHEW CONTINETTI The action is leading to a tense discussion over the relationship between federal judges and the administration after U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Columbia James Boasberg temporarily blocked the use of the act, but the court battle continues Friday. “What the ACLU is seeking in this case is unprecedented — that a single unelected judge take upon himself the authority to micromanage the national defense of our nation. This would be a complete corruption of the principle of separation of powers, which is a bedrock feature of our Republic enshrined in the Constitution,” America First Legal Senior Counsel James Rogers said in a statement Friday, according to a news release on AFL’s brief in the case. During the Biden administration, there were millions of migrant encounters along the border. Since Trump took office, the Department of Homeland Security swapped out the CBP One app, which people crossing could use to attempt to get asylum in the United States. The CBP Home app is meant for self-deportation.
NM lawmaker whose son was murdered rips Dems for ‘homicide scholarships’ after her crime bill was tanked
A New Mexico lawmaker whose son was murdered by a juvenile expressed outrage this week after her criminal justice bill was tanked in favor of what some on the right are calling a “homicide scholarship” program. State Rep. Nicole Chavez of Albuquerque said Thursday she is “sickened” by the developments. “New Mexico Democrats voted to hand offenders like my son’s killer $2,000 a month—some twisted reward for shattering my family,” Chavez said of the “homicide scholarship” moniker first dubbed by state Rep. Rod Montoya, R-Farmington, earlier this month. That bill would provide a monthly stipend for certain former convicts under the age of 26 seeking educational opportunities or other ways to get on the proverbial straight-and-narrow, according to multiple reports. Per the text of the bill, it would provide money for the Juvenile Community Connections Fund to be used toward programs providing services for adjudicated delinquents and youth, and establish a panel to determine the next steps for a convict released from a juvenile facility. “I sponsored HB 134 to deliver justice and accountability, but they refused to come to the table,” Chavez said of her original bill. Chavez’s bill, which had the support of Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, was effectively tanked by Democrats in the House – reportedly including some originally warm to it. HB 134 sought to update 1970’s-era New Mexico laws outlining the criminal justice process for juveniles, including moving some violent crimes like first-degree murder for younger teen suspects to adult court. NM LAWMAKERS CLAIM SWEEPING GUN CONTROL BILL IS ‘DEMS DISARMING US’ Lujan Grisham and a handful of Democratic prosecutors supported the bill, according to the Piñon Post, but four Democrats in the Consumer & Public Affairs Committee successfully tabled the bill, which has yet to see further movement as the session winds down. “This is not progress—it is a knife in the heart of every parent who has buried a child,” Chavez said Thursday. “New Mexico Democrats have turned their backs on victims and their families, choosing instead to reward the very criminals who destroyed our lives.” Instead, the purported “homicide scholarship” bill was given a reading and passed by the House earlier this month. Montoya told the Santa Fe New Mexican the new bill, HB 255, is “a perfect example of how progressives think about crime, that the individual doesn’t need to be held responsible for their actions – [in that they] need to be coddled, that they’re somehow a victim themselves, and we need to make sure that they have an opportunity, and we need to do everything we can to rehabilitate them even when it means we do more for them than the victims.” Lujan Grisham did not respond to requests for comment on the latter bill. NM TEENS 13 & 15 CHARGED WITH MURDER The governor approved a criminal justice package earlier this month that reportedly targeted fentanyl trafficking in the border state and dealt with suspects deemed mentally unfit for trial and grand theft auto penalties. However, she was also lambasted by Republicans for supporting what conservatives called one of the strictest pieces of gun control legislation last week. Meanwhile, another top House Republican called the “homicide scholarship” bill “another betrayal to New Mexicans.” “Democrats have forced through legislation that gives juvenile murderers $2,000 monthly scholarships, funded by the sweat of hardworking taxpayers. This isn’t compassion—it’s a perverse reward for bloodshed, a signal to every thug that crime pays in this state,” said Rep. Stefani Lord of Sandia Park. Rep. Andrea Reeb, R-Clovis, added that “Homicide Scholarships should alarm every New Mexican who fears for their safety,” and that the signal sent by the bill is that “crime truly pays.” “Instead of passing common-sense legislation [from Chavez] … they are playing political games at the expense of victims and taxpayers,” Reeb said, while Rep. John Block, R-Alamogordo, added that in the Land of Enchantment, “victims get ignored; thugs get pampered.” Fox News Digital reached out for a response from Senate President Pro-Tem Mimi Stewart and House Speaker Javier Martinez, both Albuquerque Democrats. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP House Majority Leader Reena Szczepanski, D-Santa Fe, also did not respond by press time. One Democrat, Rep. Andrea Romero of Santa Fe, spoke to the Albuquerque Journal about her opposition to Chavez’ bill, saying that “we’re talking about detaining and committing children.” An Albuquerque prosecutor also cited a 57% increase in juvenile crime in a one-year period through 2023. Lujan Grisham told the paper that she will continue to urge lawmakers to “answer the call” on juvenile justice reform.