Duckworth fires staffer who claimed to be attorney for detained illegal immigrant with criminal history
A staffer for Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., has been fired after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said he misrepresented himself as the attorney of a detained illegal immigrant to facilitate the man’s release. Last week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons told the Illinois Democrat that her staffer, Edward York, claimed he was legally representing Jose Ismeal Ayuzo Sandoval. Sandoval, a 40-year-old illegal immigrant, had a DUI conviction and was previously deported four times to Mexico. According to ICE, the staffer made the claim to federal agents after entering an ICE facility in St. Louis, Illinois, on Oct. 29. DHS CALLS OUT NBC AFFILIATE FOR HIDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIME HISTORY IN ARREST STORY “At approximately 1:29 p.m., an individual identified as Edward York, who, according to publicly available information, is employed as a Constituent Outreach Coordinator for your Senate office, entered the field office lobby, and in a discussion with a federal officer, claimed to be Mr. Ayuzo’s attorney. Mr. York demanded to speak with his ‘client,’” the Nov. 12 letter from ICE states. “This staff member allegedly did so to gain access to the detainee and seek his release from custody, and he accomplished it by falsifying an official Department of Homeland Security (DHS) form.” In a letter on Monday, Duckworth addressed Lyons and said that the staffer was fired. SENATE DEM DICK DURBIN ACCUSES TRUMP ADMIN OF ‘TERRORIZING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES’ “Upon reviewing the matter, I can confirm that neither I nor my leadership team was aware of, authorized or directed what your letter describes as the employee’s conduct,” the message read. Duckworth then confirmed that her office “terminated the employment of said employee, effective November 17, 2025.” Lyons had given the senator a Monday deadline to provide answers about the staffer’s employment and whether he knowingly lied on government documents. Fox News’ Michael Tobin, Leo Briceno and Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report.
9/11 families urge Trump to press Saudis for accountability ahead of MBS visit to DC: ‘Overwhelming evidence’
Ahead of a visit to the nation’s capital by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) on Tuesday, a cohort of 9/11 survivors, first responders, and family members of those lost, are urging President Donald Trump to demand that Saudi Arabia take accountability for its alleged role in the tragic Sept. 11, 2021 attacks. Several weeks ago, United States federal district court judge George B. Daniels ruled against Saudi Arabia’s efforts to dismiss a lawsuit brought against them by the families of 9/11 victims, which alleged the country was party to the attacks. Daniels’ decision to let the case go to trial appeared to agree with the judge claiming in his August 2025 ruling that Saudi government agents provided “essential support” for the hijackers. “The backdrop to this visit is the recent ruling of a federal judge in New York that Saudi Arabia must stand trial for its role in the 9/11 terrorist attacks that murdered 3,000 of our loved ones,” 9/11 Justice President Brett Eagleson, whose father died in the attacks, said. “As Washington prepares to roll out the red carpet for the Saudi Crown Prince, we want to shine a spotlight on the facts found by the court, the overwhelming evidence of Saudi government support for the 9/11 plot, and the families’ nearly 25-year fight for justice.” The statement follows a similar call to Trump from 9/11 Families United, a separate group representing 9/11 victims and their families, which was released last week. THE QUIET WAR: HOW TERROR HAS EVOLVED SINCE SEPT 11 Fox News Digital reached out to the Saudi Embassy in Washington, as well as the White House for comment, but did not receive a response in time for publication. Daniels’ August ruling implicating Saudi Arabia in the 9/11 attacks is just one of the latest developments in a multi-decade legal battle that started in 2002. While the kingdom has denied that anyone from the Saudi Arabian government directed the individuals accused of conspiring with 9/11 hijackers, Daniels said he found it “more likely than not” that there was “some connection.” The allegations center around Omar al-Bayoumi and Sheikh Al Fahad Thumairy, two individuals that the 9/11 victims allege were party to helping the hijackers. SAUDI ARABIA’S 40-YEAR-OLD DISRUPTOR: HOW MBS REWIRED THE KINGDOM IN 10 SHORT YEARS Among the allegations against Bayoumi, who has significant ties to the Saudi government according to declassified FBI documents, is that he helped the hijackers find an apartment. When the hijackers applied for the apartment, Bayoumi co-signed the lease and listed himself as the new apartment’s guarantor. According to Bayoumi, it is customary for the Islamic community to help newcomers find an apartment. Meanwhile, evidence also showed Bayoumi traveling to Washington, D.C. alongside two Saudi government officials employed by the embassy, according to Daniels’ ruling. Both of the Saudi government officials, Mutaeb Al-Sudairy and Adel Al-sadhan, also had ties to Thumairy, who they met in Los Angeles for an Islamic event between December 1998 and January 1999. After spending a few days in Los Angeles, according to Daniels, the pair of Saudi officials traveled to San Diego, where they stayed with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. A subsequent letter from Bayoumi to Thumairy thanked him for coordinating the trip that “provid[ed] us with brothers Mutaeb Al-Sudairy and Adel Al-sadhan.” Thumairy, who left the U.S. for Saudi Arabia shortly before the 9/11 attacks, is accused of having met with the hijackers when they first came to California in early 2000. He denies the allegation despite being pictured with them, according to Daniels. Bayoumi, who federal agents found in 2001 was in possession of a notepad with various airplane drawings, calculations, and notes in it, is alleged to have met them shortly thereafter. President Trump is set to host the Crown Prince for talks Tuesday. Improving diplomatic relations between the two nations has been a priority for Trump. He visited the kingdom in May, which was his first major international trip of Trump’s second term. “I hope that Saudi Arabia will be going into the Abraham Accords very shortly,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday ahead of this week’s MBS meeting in Washington, according to the Associated Press.
UN Security Council backs Trump’s Gaza peace plan after Waltz calls territory ‘hell on earth’
The U.N. Security Council on Monday adopted a U.S.-backed resolution to end the Gaza war and deploy an international stabilization force after Ambassador Mike Waltz urged members to support what he called “a bold, pragmatic blueprint” born from President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan. In an address to the council, Waltz described Gaza as “a hell on earth” after two years of conflict, saying the resolution offered the world a chance to replace “rubble where schools once stood” with “a path to peace.” The measure passed 14–0, with two abstentions — including Russia — and was adopted. “Voting yes today isn’t just endorsing a plan,” Waltz said. “It’s affirming our shared humanity. A vote against this resolution is a vote to return to war.” The plan, developed through U.S.-led diplomacy with Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia, establishes a multinational stabilization force to secure Gaza, oversee demilitarization and protect civilians as Israel gradually withdraws. TREY YINGST: HAMAS MUST ACCEPT TRUMP PEACE PLAN TO END WAR ONCE AND FOR ALL Waltz said many of the peacekeepers will come from Muslim-majority nations, including Indonesia and Azerbaijan. He credited Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff with brokering the deal, which has already produced what he called “tangible results” — a holding ceasefire and the release of 45 hostages by Hamas. Waltz said the United States remains committed to ensuring the return of the remaining hostages still believed to be held in Gaza. “This resolution charts a path for Palestinian self-determination after the Palestinian Authority completes key reforms,” Waltz said. “It dismantles Hamas’s grip and ensures Gaza rises free from terror’s shadow — prosperous and secure.” UN AMBASSADOR WALTZ REVEALS TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST PEACE PLAN IS ‘THE ONLY WAY FORWARD’ Following the vote, Waltz thanked Council members for what he called “a historic and constructive resolution” and praised the coalition of nations that supported Trump’s plan. He said the Board of Peace, which will be led by the president, “remains the cornerstone of our effort” to rebuild Gaza and establish accountable local governance. The board will coordinate humanitarian assistance, oversee reconstruction, and support a technocratic Palestinian committee responsible for day-to-day administration while the Palestinian Authority implements its reforms. Waltz said the stabilization force will “dismantle terrorist infrastructure, decommission weapons, and maintain the safety of Palestinian civilians.” “The path to prosperity requires security first,” Waltz said. “Security is the oxygen that governance and development need to live and thrive.” US MILITARY TO OVERSEE NEXT PHASE OF PEACE DEAL FROM COORDINATION BASE IN ISRAEL Russia abstained from the vote after circulating a rival draft. Waltz said hesitation and delay would only “cost lives,” adding that “every day without this force, aid trucks lie idle, children starve, and extremists regroup.” Trump praised the U.N. Security Council’s passage of the Gaza peace resolution Monday, calling it “one of the biggest approvals in the history of the United Nations.” In a post on Truth Social, Trump congratulated world leaders and said the creation of the Board of Peace, which he will chair, represents “a moment of true historic proportion.” Trump said the board will include “the most powerful and respected leaders throughout the world” and pledged to announce additional members in the coming weeks. He thanked both Security Council members and partner nations — including Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkey, and Jordan — for backing the plan. “This will go down as one of the biggest approvals in the history of the United Nations,” Trump wrote. “It will lead to further peace all over the world and is a moment of true historic proportion.” Trump’s message echoed the themes laid out by Waltz, who credited the president’s leadership and diplomacy for uniting regional powers behind the peace initiative. “President Trump’s historic 20-point plan marks the beginning of a strong, stable, and prosperous region,” Waltz said. “Under President Trump’s bold leadership, the United States will continue to deliver results alongside our partners to make lasting peace a reality.”
US troops in Venezuela? Trump hints major moves possible as tensions soar
President Donald Trump said he’s not ruling out sending U.S. ground troops into Venezuela amid his administration’s crackdown on criminal networks tied to the country’s top leadership and drugs that are exported from it. “No, I don’t rule out that, I don’t rule out anything,” Trump said Monday when asked if he has ruled out sending U.S. troops to Venezuela. “We just have to take care of Venezuela. They dumped hundreds of thousands of people into our country from prisons. Nobody knows better than this young lady right here,” Trump continued, referring to Department of Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem. “She’s done an incredible job with Tom Homan and all of your people.” The U.S. has carried out a series of strikes on boats that reportedly traffic narcotics in the waters off of Central and South America since September. The administration has carried out at least 21 fatal strikes on the boats since September, with the most recent strike unfolding Sunday. TRUMP REVEALS MADURO ‘WOULD LIKE TO TALK’ AS MILITARY OPTIONS REMAIN ON THE TABLE FOR VENEZUELA The strikes come as the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford arrived in the Caribbean Sea earlier in November. Trump said Sunday that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro indicated he wants talks with the U.S. as tensions mount between the nations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Sunday that a criminal network allegedly tied to Maduro and his allies, the Cartel de los Soles, will be designated a foreign terrorist organization as tensions continue to escalate. Trump added Monday that he would speak with Maduro when asked if he was prepared to directly speak with the dictator. “Yeah, I probably would talk to him. Yeah, I talked to everybody,” Trump said. The administration has defended the strikes, saying the U.S. is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels after the groups evolved into transnational terror organizations. TRUMP AGREES MADURO’S DAYS AS VENEZUELA’S PRESIDENT ARE NUMBERED IN ‘60 MINUTES’ INTERVIEW “We have a tight border right now,” Trump said. “Nobody comes in. But we had millions of people pouring through a year ago. We had millions of people pouring through our border, and many of them came from Venezuela, including Tren de Aragua, the gang. And I guess what I’m hearing, Kristi, is that there’s been a gang.” Trump has said the strikes are out of an effort to curb drugs flooding into the U.S., while experts have weighed in that the pressure on Venezuela is likely part of a larger puzzle to force Maduro’s ouster and end his regime in the country. TRUMP SAYS ‘WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS’ WHEN ASKED ABOUT POSSIBILITY OF STRIKING VENEZUELA AMID RISING TENSIONS Noem added during the Oval Office meeting, which focused on the 2026 FIFA World Cup that will be hosted in North America, that Tren de Aragua is a worse gang than MS-13. Tren de Aragua is a Venezuela-based gang with syndicates in nations stretching from South America to the U.S. Trump designated the gang, and other drug cartels and transnational gangs, as a foreign terrorist organization under an executive order in February of this year. “Killers. They massacre people,” Noem said. “They cut them up into pieces and they bury them in their communities where they grew up. They’re horrible people.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “And we had a lot of them and many of them, most of them,” Trump added of alleged illegal gang members in the U.S. “Pretty soon most of them are going to be out, but they sent them in like we’re dumping ground. So, I’m not in love with the people running Venezuela. I love Venezuela. I love the people of Venezuela. But what they’ve done to this country and I really say this, what Biden and the Democrats have done to this country can never, ever be forgotten.” Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz, Emma Bussey and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Illinois mayor declares ‘civil emergency’ after out-of-town protesters threaten violence amid anti-ICE unrest
Mayor Katrina Thompson of Broadview, Illinois declared a “civil emergency” Monday, citing “serious and credible bomb and death threats” and warnings of attempts to disrupt village government after out-of-town protesters threatened to storm Village Hall and “shut down” the local board meeting. Village officials told Fox News the meeting, originally scheduled in person, was moved online after law enforcement warned of possible disruptions tied to Friday’s unrest outside the federal immigration processing center in Broadview. Officials said the FBI has been notified and is investigating multiple threats against the mayor and her staff. “I will not allow threats of violence or intimidation to disrupt the essential functions of our government,” Thompson said. “I will not allow our staff or residents to be placed in harm’s way.” CHICAGO-AREA MAYOR INSISTS ‘WE DON’T NEED’ GUARD TROOPS DESPITE REPEATED ANTI-ICE CLASHES In a statement released Monday, the village said the emergency order followed a series of escalating threats — including a September 4 telephone bomb threat targeting Village Hall and an October 13 death threat against Thompson. The situation intensified Friday when a group of non-resident protesters tried to storm Village Hall and vowed to disrupt Monday’s Board of Trustees meeting, according to Broadview Police. TRUMP OFFICIALS SLAM BLUE STATE GOVERNOR FOR IGNORING CHAOTIC ANTI-ICE ‘RIOTERS’ DISRUPTING OPERATION During the same day’s protests near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, officials said 21 people were arrested after demonstrators clashed with Broadview Police, Illinois State Police, and Cook County Sheriff’s deputies. Two Broadview officers were injured, along with a state trooper and a sheriff’s deputy. “The order is designed to preserve the continuity of governance in light of imminent threats against the lives of village officials and public property,” Thompson said in the village’s statement. JUDGE WHO ORDERED RELEASE OF 600 CHICAGO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SLAMMED BY DHS AS ACTIVIST PUTTING LIVES AT RISK The emergency declaration allows Thompson to move public meetings online and take security measures without board approval. Written public comments for Monday’s meeting were being accepted by Village Clerk Kevin McGrier and read into the record. Tensions have grown since Thompson signed an executive order last month restricting where and when demonstrations can occur near the ICE facility — limiting protests to a designated area between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Civil-liberties groups, including the ACLU of Illinois, have criticized the order as unconstitutional. “The safety of our officers and residents has to come first,” Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills said. “We respect the right to demonstrate, but violence and threats cross the line.” The civil emergency will remain in effect until Thompson determines that the threats to officials and property have subsided. Fox News’ Patrick McGovern contributed to this report.
Top Michigan official sparks online firestorm when asked to name number of genders: ‘Beyond embarrassing’
Conservatives on social media erupted over a clip showing a top education official in Michigan struggling to answer a question from a Republican lawmaker on how many genders exist. In the viral clip, resurfaced on X by conservative influencer LibsofTikTok on Sunday and seen over 2 million times, Michigan Chief Deputy Superintendent Dr. Sue Carnell is asked in an Oct. 28 hearing by Republican state Rep. Jay DeBoyer about her opinion on how many genders exist. “How many genders are there,” DeBoyer asked, prompting Carnell to smile and pause without answering. “How many genders are there?” DeBoyer asked again. CLICK HERE FOR MORE CAMPUS RADICALS COAST TO COAST “Different people have different beliefs on that,” Carnell responded. The clip quickly went viral on social media and resulted in conservatives lambasting Carnell for not directly answering and instead explaining the importance of inclusivity. Former Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon reacted in a statement to Fox News Digital saying, “Democrats want to sexualize every facet of the curriculum and the MBOE is imposing its radical ideology on all Michigan K-12 schools.” “3/4 Michigan kids can’t read at grade level,” GOP Michigan state Sen. Aric Nesbitt posted on X. “When you realize these are the people in charge of education in Michigan, that number starts to make a lot more sense.” TOP MEDICAL SCHOOL MOVED DEI OFFICE TO SECRET LOCATION AS IT TRIES TO ‘EVADE ACCOUNTABILITY’: LEGAL GROUP “Surprised progressives are still not prepared for the ‘what is a woman’ question when they testify at hearings,” Heritage Foundation VP Roger Severino posted on X. “You would think they would have come up with something better than ‘I’m not a biologist’ (as Justice Jackson said) by now.” “This is beyond embarrassing,” conservative influencer Paul A. Szypula posted on X. “If a person can’t answer how many genders there are then they shouldn’t be allowed to vote.” “She is caught in the grips of an institutionalized mania,” political commentator Wesley Yang posted on X. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Carnell explained, “What I want people to know about gender identity is what’s in the update to the Michigan Health Education Standards Guidelines. It’s not about gotcha questions. It’s about providing local school districts with research-based information about health topics and including a few standards about gender identity areas for consideration by local schools.” Carnell went on to say that the guidelines provide students, by completion of 8th grade, to be able to “Define gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, and explain that they are distinct components of every individual’s identity” and “explain how biological sex, gender identity, and gender expression are distinct concepts and how they interact with each other.” Last week, the Michigan State Board of Education approved new state sex education standards, which include recommendations that students be taught about gender identity and sexual orientation despite pushback from some parents and pastors, who argue they undermine parental rights and religious liberties. The standards, which were being debated in the viral clip of Carnell, were adopted after a 6-2 vote. “Despite serious concerns from parents and legislators, board members passed this controversial far left change while the state already had standards,” Dixon told Fox News Digital. The state Department of Education emphasized that the standards are only guidelines and not mandates, adding that schools are still required to comply with all relevant state law. “The standards provide guidance to local school districts and, as in previous versions, local control remains in place and parents retain the right to decide whether their children should participate in sex education instruction,” the state Department of Education said in a news release after the vote. “Local boards of education determine the health curriculum for their districts which may include sex education curriculum — if the district decides to offer sex ed— that has been reviewed by local sex education advisory boards that must include 50% parent representation,” it added. Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Trump says tariff-funded dividend payments for Americans will begin next year
President Donald Trump said Monday that Americans could see payment checks funded by tariff revenues as soon as next year, promising that “hundreds of millions of dollars in tariff money” would be distributed as dividends by mid-2026. “We’ve taken in hundreds of millions of dollars in tariff money. We’re going to be issuing dividends probably by the middle of next year, maybe a little bit later than that,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. The president first floated the idea last week, saying he would use tariff revenue to send $2,000 payments to low- and middle-income Americans, with any remaining funds directed toward paying down the nation’s soaring debt. TRUMP CALLS TARIFF OPPONENTS ‘FOOLS,’ PROMISES $2K DIVIDEND PAYMENTS FOR AMERICANS With the nation’s debt hovering just north of $38 trillion, revenue from tariffs amount to little more than a rounding error: billions collected against trillions owed. The proposal comes at a pivotal moment, with tariff receipts climbing and the Supreme Court reviewing the legality of Trump’s trade measures. Since Trump announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs in April, tariff revenues have climbed sharply from $23.9 billion in May to $28 billion in June and $29 billion in July. Total duty revenue reached $215.2 billion in fiscal year 2025, which ended Sept. 30, according to the Treasury Department’s Customs and Certain Excise Taxes report. TRUMP DEFENDS TARIFFS, SAYS US HAS BEEN ‘THE KING OF BEING SCREWED’ BY TRADE IMBALANCE So far in fiscal year 2026, which began on Oct. 1, the U.S. has collected $37.5 billion, according to the latest numbers published by the Treasury Department. And while tariff collections have soared under Trump, they remain a modest contributor to federal coffers. By contrast, individual income taxes generated more than $2.6 trillion in fiscal 2025, compared with $195 billion from tariffs and $452 billion from corporate income taxes, Treasury figures show. The nation’s highest court is still in the process of deciding the fate of Trump’s trade agenda and the tariffs in question.
Pro-life pregnancy centers see client increase after Supreme Court decision: study
Facilities designed to discourage abortion have seen tens of thousands of additional clients in the wake of the Supreme Court’s landmark Dobbs ruling, according to a study published Monday. The Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research arm of the pro-life organization SBA Pro-Life America, found in its annual report that the facilities, often known as pregnancy resource centers, surpassed one million clients for the first time in 2024. That total is up from 974,965 in 2022, when the high court scrapped the federal right to abortion and flipped the issue back into the hands of states. The study looked at data from roughly 3,000 facilities nationwide. The centers poured nearly half a billion dollars into supporting their clients, and the dollar value of material goods, such as diapers, strollers and cribs, provided to clients rose 48% from 2022. NEWSOM BAILS OUT PLANNED PARENTHOOD WITH $140M TO KEEP 100 CLINICS OPEN AFTER TRUMP CUTS Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, told reporters on Monday the centers were an answer to the prevalence of abortion since Dobbs that the Charlotte Lozier Institute has attributed, at least in part, to easy access to abortion pills, which people can purchase by mail. Pregnancy resource centers have “become even more important, especially with the horrific national policy that we have on the abortion drug which has led to the increase of abortions to around 1.1 million,” Dannenfelser said. “You have a Planned Parenthood organization and a big abortion movement that, to the problem of addiction, says when she enters a clinic, or she goes online, ‘Here’s your pill. Have a nice life,’” Dannenfelser said. MAJOR PRO-LIFE GROUP DEMANDS INVESTIGATION INTO ABORTION PILL BILLBOARDS IN FLORIDA “Pregnancy centers, with the support of care workers, are going to the roots of the problem, to addiction, domestic abuse, homelessness, of the problem of just physically getting to your job so that you can do your job and support your family, the question of finishing school that you find yourself needing more resources and community and help at a moment where you want to say yes to your child and you also want to say yes to your own life and its trajectory,” she said. Pregnancy centers have faced criticism, largely from the left, that they deceive their clients and donors into thinking they are not firmly against abortion and mislead clients about their ability to practice medicine. A lawsuit centered on that fight is pending before the Supreme Court; the high court will hear oral arguments in the case next month. The report showed that clinics offer a range of services, from providing tangible items to adoption agency services, counseling and a variety of medical services, including abortion pill reversal, pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and STD screening. The Charlotte Lozier Institute also said it found that more than 60% of women who have had abortions would rather have given birth if they had had more emotional and financial support. “When we have the courage to ask the questions of real women in the real world, this is what we find over and over and over again,” Dannenfelser said.
Raspy-voiced Trump reveals reason he ‘blew my stack’ in heated discussion
President Donald Trump blamed his hoarse voice on a tense discussion with a foreign nation who attempted to renegotiate the terms of their trade deal. Trump sported a raspy voice during a meeting with the White House’s task force on the FIFA World Cup 2026, prompting a reporter to ask if he felt alright. “I feel great. I was shouting at people because they were stupid about something having to do with trade and a country, and I straightened it out, but I blew my stack at these people,” Trump told reporters Monday. When pressed about which country, Trump did not specify which nation sparked his ire and only said that he wasn’t pleased. TRUMP, XI MEET IN EFFORT TO RESOLVE TRADE TENSIONS SPARKED BY US TARIFFS “A country wanted to try and renegotiate the terms of their trade deal,” Trump said. “And I wasn’t happy about it.” When asked again which country, Trump said: “Why would I say that to you?” The U.S. has engaged in trade talks with a number of countries in recent months, including Japan, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia. Additionally, Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea in October, where the two hammered out some negotiations on trade between the two countries. TRUMP SAYS CHINA WILL WORK WITH HIM TO STOP FENTANYL TRAFFICKING For example, Trump said he agreed to cut tariffs on Chinese imports by 10% — bring down the rate from 57% to 47% — because China said it would work with the U.S. on addressing the fentanyl crisis. Likewise, Trump said that he would not impose an additional 100% tariff on Chinese goods that were expected to kick in Nov. 1. Trump threatened the steep hike after China announced in October it would impose export controls on rare-earth magnets, which he said China had agreed to postpone by a year. Afterward, Trump said that a broader trade deal between the two countries would be signed in the near future. “Zero, to 10, with 10 being the best, I’d say the meeting was a 12,” Trump told reporters after meeting with Xi. “A lot of decisions were made … and we’ve come to a conclusion on very many important points.”
Judge Boasberg to weigh Trump contempt in deportation case this week
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered lawyers for the Trump administration and for a class of deported Venezuelan migrants to come to court Wednesday to discuss the case’s status and the long-stalled question of whether the administration willfully defied his earlier court order and acted in contempt. The new updates, codified in a minute order on Monday, are almost certain to spark fresh ire from President Donald Trump and his allies in a major immigration fight that has stretched on for more than nine months. At issue is the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 wartime immigration law, to deport 252 Venezuelan migrants from the U.S. to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador in March. Boasberg had issued an emergency order in March blocking the Trump administration’s use of the law to immediately deport migrants to a third country, and ordered officials to return any planes that had already left US soil. WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS? Despite his order, hundreds of migrants arrived in El Salvador hours later — where they remained until July, when they were removed again from CECOT to Venezuela as part of a broader prisoner exchange that involved the return of at least 10 Americans and permanent U.S. residents detained in Venezuela. Trump officials have argued that the individuals removed were alleged members of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. But lawyers for the ACLU and other groups representing the migrants have vehemently disputed that claim, citing several reports from major news outlets that separately concluded that just a handful of individuals deported under the 18th century law had serious criminal records. The Alien Enemies Act has been used three times previously in U.S. history, and most recently during World War II. Boasberg tried for months without success to obtain information about the individuals who were deported to CECOT, and to obtain information about who in the Trump administration had ordered the flights in violation of his temporary restraining order. In April, Boasberg ruled that the court had found “probable cause” to move on criminal contempt proceedings against the Trump administration for failing to return the migrants to U.S. soil, citing what he described as the administration’s “willful disregard” of the court. Boasberg’s finding that the Trump administration likely acted in contempt of his March 15 emergency order had been halted for months, after a three-judge panel for the appeals court issued an emergency stay halting his order. EX-JUDGES BLAST TOP TRUMP DOJ OFFICIAL FOR DECLARING ‘WAR’ ON COURTS In August, the judges ruled 2-1 to toss it completely. Their decision was appealed to all eleven judges for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to review the matter en banc. On Friday, judges on the panel declined by an 8-3 vote to further review Boasberg’s ruling, which in theory would have kept the lower court’s ruling in place. They did not, as some of the judges explained, because the two majority judges for the panel had split in August over the reasons for tossing Boasberg’s opinion. Therefore, the court said, “the writ of mandamus issued by the panel has no ongoing practical or precedential effect.” The update from the en banc panel effectively clears the way for Boasberg to consider the contempt proceedings, giving him jurisdiction over the issue again for the first time in more than 200 days. TRUMP FOE BOASBERG ORDERS DOJ TO DETAIL STATUS OF CECOT MIGRANTS SENT TO VENEZUELA Boasberg, for his part, quickly clarified that he intends to move on the contempt question imminently. In a minute order issued Monday morning, Boasberg ordered lawyers for the Trump administration and the ACLU, who represent the deported class of Venezuelan migrants, to appear in court Wednesday for a previously scheduled motions hearing prepared to discuss case updates and next steps in the contempt inquiry. The Trump administration has not provided, as of this writing, a list of the migrants sent to CECOT in March, or details of their immigration status in the U.S. prior to removal. Boasberg’s emergency order in March touched off a complex legal saga that ultimately spawned dozens of federal court challenges across the country – though the one brought before his court was the very first. His role overseeing the case has also landed him squarely in the crosshairs of the Trump administration and the president himself, who has repeatedly excoriated Boasberg as an “activist judge.”