Federal judge who oversaw Maduro, Trump cases dead at 92
Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who was overseeing the case against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, died at the age of 92 on Tuesday. Hellerstein had served as a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York since 1998, after being appointed by then-President Bill Clinton. He had also presided over President Donald Trump’s attempts to move his New York criminal case from state courts to federal courts. The court said Hellerstein died of natural causes just short of his 93rd birthday. TRUMP PICKS JAMES MCDONALD TO LEAD POWERFUL SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK AFTER JAY CLAYTON’S DEPARTURE Hellerstein earned his J.D. and bachelor’s degree from Columbia University, according to the Federal Judicial Center. He served in the U.S. Army, JAG Corps from 1957-1960 before 38 years of private practice prior to his judicial appointment. DENVER MAN’S ESCAPE EXPOSES CHILLING TREN DE ARAGUA KIDNAPPING PLOT THAT LANDS TRIO IN PRISON A new judge is set to be randomly assigned to handle the Maduro case following Hellerstein’s passing. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are both charged with conspiracy to commit torture against Americans and others to stay in power, according to a superseding indictment filed in early October. Maduro’s government, according to the indictment, “presided over a system of repression that relied on violence against political opposition, arbitrary detention, and the torture of detainees, including United States citizens.” The torture included “electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, forced nudity, prolonged isolation, starvation, punishment cells, and psychological torture, such as threats to harm and kill victims’ families, including children,” the indictment read. MADURO ALLY DEPORTED TO US OVER ALLEGED BILLION-DOLLAR CORRUPTION SCHEME TIED TO OIL, FOOD PROGRAM The charge carries a maximum of life imprisonment if any of the alleged torture resulted in death, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if not. The indictment alleges Maduro and Flores “inflicted severe physical and mental pain and suffering to repress and punish political opposition, silence dissent and perceived dissent, preserve and protect the power and authority of the members of the conspiracy, and intimidate, harass, and neutralize their opponents, including through kidnappings.” MADURO’S ALLEGED ‘BAG MAN’ ALEX SAAB ARRESTED LESS THAN 3 YEARS AFTER BIDEN PARDON: REPORT The pair, who face numerous other charges, were arrested in Venezuela in January during Operation Absolute Resolve. Maduro was originally charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices in a 2011 indictment that President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice unsealed in 2020. Flores was then charged in a superseding indictment in January with cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. They have pleaded not guilty, and a trial is scheduled for June 2027. Flores appeared in court earlier this month for a bond hearing on her motion for release from jail. Her lawyers were requesting home confinement with GPS tracking, citing a heart condition and arguing she does not pose a danger to the community. Hellerstein denied the request. Fox News’ Robert McGreevy contributed to this report.
GOP senator takes aim at blue-city mayor for move promoting foreign workers in key industry: ‘Lit on fire’
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) is taking aim at the Democratic mayor of Columbus, Ohio, over a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was signed with the African nation of Ghana promoting a joint nursing program. “Instead of investing in Ohio’s domestic workforce, you and the Columbus City Council chose to direct $225,000 in public dollars towards recruiting nurses from overseas,” Moreno wrote to Mayor Andrew Ginther on Wednesday morning, expressing “disappointment” over the MOU in Columbus, the state capital of Ohio. “But this figure is only a fraction of the approximately $8.3 million in taxpayer dollars you have lit on fire to benefit noncitizens and foreign governments since you were elected as mayor.” Moreno’s criticism comes after the city and Ghanaian officials signed a memorandum of understanding in September establishing the Ghana-Columbus Nursing Partnership Programme. The agreement is intended to strengthen nursing education, expand workforce development, and create legal pathways for qualified Ghanaian nurses to enter Ohio’s health care workforce. RED-STATE SENATOR DROPS HAMMER ON DEM MAYOR OVER NEW ‘WOKE’ DEI ORDINANCE WHILE VIOLENT CRIME SURGES Moreno argued that the agreement could result in American nurses being replaced by lower-cost foreign labor and said public funds should instead be used to expand enrollment and training capacity at Ohio colleges and universities. “You were elected to serve the citizens of Columbus, not the citizens of Ghana,” Moreno wrote. “Increasing publicly subsidized foreign nursing recruitment programs will likely negatively impact American nurses’ wages. These funds should be invested directly in Ohio nursing students and utilized to expand Ohio’s universities and colleges nursing programs’ capacity. I recommend you implement policies that invest public funds in American nurses.” AMERICA’S BROKEN LEGAL IMMIGRATION SYSTEM IS REPLACING US WORKERS BY DESIGN The partnership between Ghana and Columbus has been widely blasted by conservatives on social media in recent weeks, with many arguing that American citizens should fill those jobs. “Why aren’t our tax dollars funding nursing scholarships and careers for Ohioans instead?” Attorney and GOP strategist Mehek Cooke posted on X in response to reporting from journalist Natalie Winters. “Stop sidelining Americans with OUR money.” “It’s worth noting that earlier this year a homecare nurse from Ghana named Roberta Achampong fled the country back to Ghana after allegedly stealing millions from Medicaid and buying a swanky house and a Porsche,” policy analyst Parker Thayer posted on X. “And now the mayor of Columbus wants more nurses from Ghana.’ The $225,000 referenced in Moreno’s letter was approved by Columbus City Council as a 2026 general fund grant to Greater Columbus Sister Cities International. The ordinance says the money is intended to support business, government, cultural, educational, and environmental exchanges among Columbus’ 10 sister cities, including Accra, Ghana, as well as the organization’s staffing and administrative costs. Fox News Digital reached out to Ginther’s office for comment. “Ghana has made significant investment in training nursing professionals who can migrate legally to enter a ready market in Columbus,” Ginther said during the signing ceremony, according to a press release from the government of Ghana. The press release added that Ghanaian officials “emphasized that the agreement extends far beyond simple labor migration and stated that the MoU serves as a strategic platform for: mutual skills transfer between medical professionals, institutional strengthening for healthcare facilities, joint research collaborations and health innovations and global improvement of patient health outcomes.” Moreno wrote that he hopes the mayor will “reallocate public dollars toward expanding enrollment and training capacity at area colleges and universities, which would generate additional high-earning job opportunities for younger generations in our community and improve patient care.”
Murkowski snubs Trump-backed Alaska candidate, endorses Democrat for governor
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has thrown her support behind Democratic Alaska gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins as well as his nonpartisan running mate for lieutenant governor Zac Johnson. “I am announcing my endorsement of Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins,” Murkowski told KTUU, describing the candidate as “a common-sense guy who has a known ability to be working together.” “Our future is too important to be hamstrung by partisan divisions,” Murkowski said, according to a press release from the Kreiss-Tomkins campaign 6 DAYS UNTIL MIDTERMS, TRUMP RETURNS TO OHIO AS REPUBLICANS FIGHT TO HOLD ONCE-SAFE STATE “Jonathan understands that governing requires listening to people with different perspectives and finding common ground to solve the problems all of us face. Alaska needs a serious conversation about our fiscal future, as well as a focus on the cost of energy and growing our economy. I believe Jonathan is committed to working toward solutions that serve all Alaskans, regardless of party,” she added. “I encourage Alaskans of every political stripe, whether Republicans, independents, or Democrats, to take a close look at Jonathan and Zac. Alaska needs leaders who will put our state first, and I’m proud to support them.” SCHIFF ACCUSES DOJ OF TRYING TO ‘SUBVERT’ ELECTIONS AS GOP ALLEGES SAME-NAME CANDIDATE MEANT TO CONFUSE VOTERS While there are multiple Republicans running in the ranked-choice voting contest, President Donald Trump has endorsed Bernadette Wilson. “I’m honored to have Senator Murkowski’s support,” Kreiss-Tomkins noted, according his campaign’s release. FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: AS IRAN LOOMS LARGE, CAN THE GOP KEEP THE FAITHFUL? “Alaskans deserve a government that can work through disagreements and make progress on the issues that matter. I am committed to working with our congressional delegation, the legislature, industry, and communities across the state to move Alaska forward. That work requires cooperation, not political conflict,” he added.
GOP Senate majority faces fresh uncertainty as 2 key races tighten days before midterms
Two of the country’s most watched Senate races in Ohio and South Carolina remain neck and neck with under a week to go until the Nov. 3 midterm elections, polling results released on Wednesday show. In both states, the tight margins are a welcome sign for Democrats as they try to unseat a pair of Republican incumbents: Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C. Should both races go their way, Democrats would find themselves within striking distance of eliminating the current 53-seat Republican majority in the Senate. FOX NEWS POLL: GENDER GAP AND POCKETBOOK PAIN SHAPE OHIO SENATE RACE In Ohio, findings from Suffolk University show Democratic nominee Sherrod Brown leading Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, 47% to 44%. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points, putting the race within the margin of error. Four percent of voters were undecided, while 3% backed another candidate. Brown, a former senator who lost his seat in 2024, is trying to make a political comeback, pitching himself as a familiar face amid public frustration with the cost of living. Throughout his campaign, he has highlighted his career as a policymaker, promising to bring that expertise to issues like affordability and data center expansion. Before losing his seat to Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, Brown represented Ohio from 2007 to 2025, chairing the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. DARLINE GRAHAM FOCUSES ON KITCHEN-TABLE ISSUES AS SHE ANNOUNCES FULL-TERM SENATE BID In South Carolina, polling from the Siena Research Institute in partnership with the New York Times has found Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., in a tie with Annie Andrews, the Democrat in the race, at an even 48% apiece. In that race, 3% of respondents said they were still undecided while less than 1% said they planned to vote for some third candidate. Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was appointed to the seat in July, is looking to secure a full six-year term after beating out a crowded field of Republican challengers in the primary. Although new to the political scene, Graham has the backing of President Donald Trump and is running in a state that went the president’s way by a 17.8% margin in 2024. Andrews, Graham’s opponent, has framed her as inexperienced and an extension of Lindsey Graham — one of Trump’s key allies in the Senate. For her own part, Andrews has championed policy positions like enshrining access to abortion, increased requirements for gun ownership and expanding access to healthcare.
Democrat’s 2-word answer on a possible presidential run draws cheers from Maine crowd
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., appeared to leave the door open for a presidential run in 2028 while giving a stump speech on Tuesday for Troy Jackson, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Maine. Kelly was in the middle of an argument about how the economy no longer works for young Americans when an audience member interrupted him with a suggestion about his political future. “I’m the son of two cops who went to public schools and went on to become a Navy pilot and then an astronaut and now a U.S. senator. I was fortunate,” he said. Just as Kelly mentioned becoming a senator, someone in the crowd shouted “president,” prompting a two-word response from the Arizona Democrat. WATCH: DEM SENATORS DODGE BACKING KAMALA HARRIS IN POTENTIAL 2028 RUN: ‘VERY MESSY’ “We’ll see,” said Kelly, whose short response drew cheers from the crowd. Kelly, who is up for re-election in 2028, is routinely featured in 2028 Democratic presidential primary surveys and often polls below more established contenders like former Vice President Kamala Harris and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Still, Kelly has begun gaining support as his national profile rises. He drew widespread attention in Nov. 2025 after appearing in a video alongside other Democratic lawmakers telling U.S. service members that it is their duty to disobey illegal orders, including those issued by the executive branch. The video prompted a criminal investigation into Kelly and the five other Democratic lawmakers, although a federal grand jury declined to indict them in February. HARRIS KEEPS 2028 DOOR OPEN AS SHE HITS MIDTERM CAMPAIGN TRAIL, WARNS ‘28 WON’T MATTER’ WITHOUT 2026 Axios reported last week that Kelly is eyeing a run for the White House. He told the outlet that he will decide whether he is running for president or another term in the Senate after the midterms. However, Kelly would not necessarily have to choose between the two. Under Arizona law, presidential and vice presidential candidates are permitted to simultaneously seek election to one additional federal office, meaning Kelly could run for both president and Senate in 2028. The provision in Arizona law could make a presidential bid less of a political gamble for Kelly, allowing him to pursue the highest office in the land without necessarily jeopardizing his Senate career. If Kelly secures the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, he could appear on Arizona ballots as a candidate for both president and the Senate, though he wouldn’t be able to occupy both offices if he won both races.
Long-running embassy fight comes back to haunt Trump as State Dept hit with $461M lawsuit
FIRST ON FOX — The latest lawsuit launched against the Trump administration seeks to recover more than $461 million after the State Department directed a longtime embassy builder to continue construction projects worldwide through the COVID-19 pandemic. B.L. Harbert International, which has built dozens of U.S. embassies and consulates over more than two decades, reached a $370 million settlement with the State Department to handle resulting claims — but the compnay claims the deal was reversed after current political leadership intervened. The builders are now seeking to recover lost funding through suing the Trump administration, and filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, Fox News Digital first learned. The complaint covers 12 diplomatic construction projects across four continents, including facilities in Turkey, Iraq, Thailand, Morocco, Mexico and Central America. The company alleges career State Department officials reached the $370 million agreement in September 2025, but the government paid just $501,636 before backing out. Harbert claims political leadership “inserted themselves into the process after a settlement was reached” and that the decision to abandon it “came from the top.” “We did not want to take this step. The U.S. Government is an important partner, and we are proud of the work we do together to advance America’s interests and protect Americans serving overseas,” Charles Bohn, president of BL Harbert’s International Group, said in a statement. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION UNCOVERS $1.2B IN SUSPECTED COVID CONTRACT FRAUD TIED TO BIDEN-ERA SPENDING “But we have a responsibility to our employees and to the future of that mission. We kept our commitment under extraordinarily difficult conditions. We are asking the government to keep its commitment to us.” Harbert is one of a small pool of U.S. contractors capable of building highly secure diplomatic facilities overseas — work that requires specialized security clearances, vetted workforces and the ability to manage complex construction and supply chains abroad. According to the company, some State Department embassy projects now draw just two or three qualified bidders. The dispute stretches across three presidential administrations, beginning with State Department directives issued during Trump’s first term in 2020, continuing as Harbert pursued compensation during the Biden administration and culminating in the alleged settlement and its collapse during Trump’s second term. At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Harbert was working on 17 embassy and consulate construction projects around the world, representing nearly two-thirds of State’s embassy construction program at the time, according to the lawsuit. As countries shut down and global supply chains seized up in early 2020, Harbert says it sought guidance from State on whether to pause construction. The company argues the pandemic constituted an “excusable delay” under its contracts that would have allowed it to send personnel home, secure construction sites and resume work once conditions stabilized. Instead, Harbert alleges State decided to keep its overseas construction program moving. The company says State directed it to remain ready to mobilize, continue procuring and shipping materials and work through the disruptions, while instructing Harbert to document the resulting costs and submit requests for reimbursement. In one March 2020 communication cited in the complaint, Harbert warned State that it could not afford to continue paying workers to remain on standby without assurances of reimbursement. Labor costs on the new U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City alone were running roughly $1.3 million per month, according to the filing. Weeks later, State directed Harbert to “continue to procure and ship materials” so projects would not end up at the “back of the line” when global construction activity resumed, the complaint alleges. State recognized that doing so could generate additional storage, shipping and other costs and directed the company to submit requests for equitable adjustments as those costs arose, according to the filing. The projects ultimately moved forward under pandemic restrictions that Harbert says increased costs and reduced productivity as the company dealt with workforce limitations, supply-chain disruptions and new operating requirements. The government has since taken possession of all 12 diplomatic facilities at issue in the lawsuit and has been using some of them for more than three years, according to Harbert. Harbert ultimately submitted more than $500 million in requests for equitable adjustments and other claims stemming from the pandemic directives and separate project disputes, including alleged design changes and government-caused delays. OBAMA CENTER SUBCONTRACTOR SHUTS DOWN AMID $4M FIGHT, LAYS OFF 25 Harbert alleges members of State Department political leadership “inserted themselves into the process after a settlement was reached” and that, “on information and belief,” the decision to abandon the agreement “came from the top.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department for comment. With deadlines approaching to preserve its claims, Harbert says it formally certified them in March 2026. The complaint alleges State’s chief of staff encouraged the company to do so, representing that certification would make it easier for the government to implement the settlement. Instead, State contracting officers began denying the claims in July. By Oct. 13, 2026, all 13 certified claims now at issue in the lawsuit had received final decisions. Harbert is now seeking at least $461,097,380 in damages, along with interest and other relief. The lawsuit does not currently ask the court to enforce the alleged $370 million settlement itself. Harbert says its settlement-related claims remain in the administrative process and that it reserves the right to add them to the lawsuit later. The dispute could carry consequences beyond the hundreds of millions of dollars at stake. Harbert has been awarded roughly 60 U.S. embassy and consulate construction projects since 1999. The company says the number of American contractors willing and qualified to undertake such work has dwindled significantly, in some cases leaving just two or three qualified bidders for projects. Embassy construction requires contractors to meet stringent security and workforce-vetting requirements while managing highly specialized construction, secure facilities and international logistics, creating significant barriers for companies seeking to enter the field. Harbert argues that if contractors lose confidence that State will honor its obligations, fewer could
Trump revisits 10-year warning to Macron as protests sweep France: ‘You have to get them out’
President Donald Trump revisited his longstanding warning to French President Emmanuel Macron that France could “lose” its country if it doesn’t address immigration troubles. “It’s not a school problem. It’s an immigration problem,” Trump told Fox News Digital Tuesday night after rallying in Texas in a final push for Republicans ahead of next week’s midterms. “I’ve been saying that to President Macron for a long time, who I like a lot, by the way. But I said, ‘You’re going to end up losing your country if you don’t do something.’” Trump’s call for France to close its borders follows student demonstrations that have devolved into widespread protests over local grievances, packing streets, sparking clashes and ricocheting across Europe. TRUMP REVEALS DIRE WARNING TO MACRON AS VIOLENT UNREST SPREADS ACROSS EUROPE During a conversation with U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner earlier this week, Trump told Fox News Digital they discussed France’s immigration problems, which he believes were behind the protests. “You have people that hate France,” he said. “They hate the buildings, hate the art, they hate the people. And they’re in there, and you have to get them out.” Trump called the situation in France and across Europe “very sad,” saying his warnings to Macron have spanned a decade. “Something has to happen, and they better do something,” he said. “I’ve been saying it for 10 years, too.” Trump has raised concerns about immigration in Europe for roughly a decade, dating back to his first presidential campaign in 2016. Macron became France’s president in 2017. VIOLENT FAR-LEFT RIOTS IN FRANCE ARE ‘CHILLING WARNING’ FOR AMERICANS AT HOME, MIKE JOHNSON SAYS Trump has previously credited his own immigration policies with preventing similar unrest in the U.S. Macron accused foreign leaders last week of making “unacceptable and even stupid” comments, calling them false claims for political gain. He did not mention Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by name — both the U.S. and Israel are in the midst of high-stakes election cycles. In France, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said “nearly 1,000 people” were arrested Saturday as nationwide protests resumed. Macron said “ultra-left groups whose aim is to bring down the Republic” are leading the protests and that those organized by “individuals or groups with no legitimate authority” would be banned. FRANCE’S MACRON BLAMES PROTESTS ON ‘ULTRA-LEFT GROUPS WHOSE AIM IS TO BRING DOWN THE REPUBLIC’ Remaining on high alert, Macron said anyone who loots or damages property will be forced to pay, as tens of thousands of police were deployed. A Fox News Digital investigation identified 50 Antifa groups among nearly 300 groups mobilizing around the protests, as well as a sprawling network of communist, socialist, far-left and anti-Israel groups. Protests also spiraled in other parts of Europe this month, with violence breaking out in Rome and Albania’s capital, Tirana, where demonstrators set government buildings on fire. Fox News Digital reached out to Macron’s office for comment.
China exile-turned-GOP nominee warns socialist surge could give Beijing greater influence in Washington
A congressional nominee who escaped communist China after the Tiananmen Square massacre warned that a Democratic-controlled Congress could create opportunities for Beijing to expand its influence in Washington, threatening U.S. national security. Lily Tang Williams, the Republican nominee for New Hampshire’s 2nd Congressional District, told Fox News Digital that China, a country she believes “wants to bring down the United States,” would capitalize on “America’s weakness” if Congress were to be controlled by Democrats in January. “I fear that the country I love is becoming the country I left,” Williams, who is challenging Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., told Fox News Digital. “China will be very happy to see Democrats control the House and Senate. The Democrats want open borders, they want to defund police and abolish private property. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is looking at this as good news.” CHINA EXPERT WARNS BEIJING WANTS AMERICANS — NOT THE CCP — TO SPREAD ITS MESSAGE Williams pointed to a recent Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) trip, claiming that more than a dozen high-ranking members of the organization traveled to China to “produce favorable coverage of China and its regime,” as an example of the Chinese government taking advantage of the “vulnerable Democratic Party” to promote itself in the U.S. “They now share a similar ideology,” Williams said. DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA NEED TO ACTUALLY MEET THE CHINA THEY CLAIM TO LOVE Williams also argued that Democrats’ immigration policies could make it easier for Chinese intelligence operatives to enter the U.S., warning about the potential for espionage along the southern border. The candidate said she believes the DSA’s growing influence within the Democratic Party could shape congressional decisions even if Democrats remain in the minority or more moderate lawmakers hold leadership positions. “The Democrat Party is hijacked by the DSA,” Williams said. “We’re going to have a DSA-run Congress, whether moderate Democrats like it or not. Moderate Democrat voters are still so complacent. They don’t come out and condemn this extremism because they may even be afraid of repercussions from the DSA and DSA voters.” A recent Gallup poll found that 43% of Americans have a positive view of socialism, for the first time since 2010. Williams pointed to the rise of socialism among Americans and the possibility that at least six new DSA-affiliated lawmakers could enter Congress in January as reasons for concern about the direction of the Democratic Party. “Congress will be controlled by people who sympathize with the CCP and its Marxist principles,” Williams warned. TOP DEM TORCHES SOCIALISTS TAKING OVER HIS PARTY: ‘THEY’RE ANTI-AMERICAN’ Williams also criticized her Democratic opponent and other members of the party for what she described as their refusal to condemn Marxism, arguing that moderate Democrats could increasingly side with the party’s progressive wing in the 120th Congress. “Our country could fall from within, because we don’t really have a good policy to protect ourselves and our national security,” Williams said. “My opponent refuses to condemn Marxism and Marxist American figures like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani when asked. This is very troubling.” During her phone interview with Fox News Digital, Williams raised concerns that lawmakers sympathetic to Marxist ideology could pose national security risks if they gained access to sensitive or classified information. Goodlander, the DSA and the Democratic Party did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Talarico rally warmup act calls for abolishing ICE, contrasting Senate hopeful’s message
Malik Williams, a Democratic candidate for a seat in Texas’ state legislature, called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for legalizing marijuana during a Tuesday rally for U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico in Lubbock, Texas. “We can legalize and tax THC and cannabis. We’re gonna abolish ICE, we’re gonna tax the rich and we’re going to get my friend, the next United States senator from the state of Texas, James Talarico, elected!” Williams exclaimed to raucous applause. Talarico, a Democrat running in a historically Republican state, has shied away from making such direct calls to abolish ICE while on the campaign trail. During a joint CNN and Jubilee town hall, Talarico directly denied wanting to abolish ICE when asked if he supported the idea. JAMES TALARICO TORCHES BIDEN BORDER POLICIES IN STUNNING ATTACK AD AS PROGRESSIVE TRIES TO FLIP TEXAS BLUE “No, and I never have,” Talarico responded, adding, “We need Immigration and Customs Enforcement in this country, but that’s not what we’re seeing. What we’ve seen over the last year is a secret police force, and that’s what we don’t want in this country.” EXCLUSIVE: RESURFACED VIDEO SHOWS JAMES TALARICO DISCUSSING ‘EXCITING’ OPPORTUNITY TO END ‘OVER-POLICING’ Talarico’s recent remarks, however, depart from past comments. In January, during a primary debate with Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, Talarico said it was time to “tear down” ICE. “ICE shot a mother in the face. ICE kidnapped a 5-year-old boy. ICE executed a man in broad daylight on our streets just this morning. It’s time to tear down this secret police force and replace it with an agency that actually is going to focus on public safety,” he said. FOX NEWS POLL: MAJORITY SAYS IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT HAS CROSSED THE LINE Talarico also advocated for “hauling in” agents in front of Congress to testify on actions taken during enforcement actions. Abolishing ICE is an unpopular opinion among Republicans nationwide, with 67% strongly opposing the idea, according to a July YouGov/The Economist poll. The same poll found 48% of Americans overall supporting ICE’s abolition. TRUMP WON THIS RELIABLY RED STATE BY DOUBLE DIGITS. NOW A DEADLOCKED RACE IS BRINGING HIM BACK Texas voters, meanwhile, have a moderately negative view of the agency as a whole. Only 42% of the state views the agency as very favorable or somewhat favorable, compared to 47% of the state viewing ICE as somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable, according to a February poll from The Texas Politics Project. In introducing Talarico on Tuesday, Williams also stumped for a wide number of policies popular with the rising crop of democratic socialists while appearing to bash President Donald Trump and Talarico’s Republican opponent Ken Paxton. DEMOCRATS CAN TAKE THE LEAD ON ONE OF THE NATION’S TOP ISSUES – DATA CENTERS “When we have embarrassing loser representatives that support a fascist, racist, rapist, war criminal, I say we deserve better! When the backbone of Texas, our ranchers and farmers, tell us that they do not want data centers and then our politicians, as they love to do, they force it upon us without consent, I say we deserve better!” Williams exclaimed to fanfare. Williams also advocated for more education funding, guaranteed childcare and an expansion of healthcare, all popular policies with the Democratic Socialists of America. The Williams and Paxton campaigns did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital for further comment. The Talarico campaign pointed Fox News Digital to his comments from the CNN town hall.
Trump’s unusual legal gambit against Biden-era deportation rule pays off at Supreme Court
The Supreme Court, with no noted dissents, has allowed an agreement between Texas and the Department of Justice ending a Biden-era immigration rule to go into effect. The Biden administration adopted the rule in 2024, formally establishing procedures for immigration judges to temporarily pause certain deportation proceedings through a practice known as “administrative closure,” including when migrants were pursuing immigration relief through other federal proceedings. The Supreme Court’s move leaves in place a lower court ruling eliminating that rule, stripping away a procedure that allowed certain deportation cases to be put on hold. Texas sued the federal government in June, arguing that the rule was adopted without proper legal authority. The Department of Justice agreed with Texas, asking the judge overseeing the case to vacate the rule and prevent similar rules from being adopted in the future. JUDGE WHO APOLOGIZED TO ACCUSED WOULD-BE TRUMP ASSASSIN LIGHTS UP DOJ IN HUNTER BIDEN FBI CASE Opponents accused Texas and the Justice Department of colluding to eliminate the Biden-era rule, arguing that the two sides worked together despite being on opposite sides of the lawsuit. On the same day the DOJ made its request, District Judge Reed O’Connor, an appointee of President George W. Bush, granted it. TRUMP-APPOINTED JUDGE SLAMS DOOR ON DOJ AS COURT LOSSES PILE UP DAYS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS’ In August, however, three cities with large immigrant populations — Baltimore, Maryland; New Haven, Connecticut; and Columbus, Ohio — joined with Centro Legal de la Raza, an immigrant legal advocacy group, in an effort to intervene in the case and defend the Biden-era rule on appeal. The cities argued that eliminating the rule could lead to residents being deported, reducing their tax revenues and giving them legal standing to challenge the agreement. O’Connor rejected that argument. MAMDANI BLASTS FEDS FOR WAGING ‘CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND TERROR’ AGAINST NYC’S IMMIGRANTS On Oct. 9, the three cities and Centro Legal de la Raza asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block the lower court’s judgment while their appeal proceeded, accusing Texas and the federal government of engaging in “egregious collusion” to eliminate the Biden-era rule. Federal lawyers argued that the cities and their allies lacked legal standing to challenge the agreement because they had not demonstrated the concrete injury required for a federal court to consider their claims.