Rubio meets with Zelenskyy ahead of crucial Geneva talks, says Trump wants solution that ‘ends bloodshed’
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Saturday at the Munich Security Conference, saying that President Donald Trump “wants a solution that ends the bloodshed once and for all.” “Met with Ukrainian President @ZelenskyyUa on Ukraine’s security and deepening defense and economic partnerships,” Rubio wrote in an X post in which he shared a photo of him shaking hands with the Ukrainian leader. “President Trump wants a solution that ends the bloodshed once and for all.” Earlier Saturday, Zelenskyy revealed he had spoken with Rubio and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner ahead of talks in Geneva, which he said his government expected to be “truly productive.” “I had a conversation with envoys of President Trump @stevewitkoff and @JaredKushner, ahead of the trilateral meetings in Geneva,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “We count on the meetings being truly productive.” US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH ‘LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE’ BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA Zelenskyy said they also discussed “some developments following the meetings in Abu Dhabi, which were held at the end of last month and the beginning of this month. “Not everything can be shared over the phone, and our negotiating team will present Ukraine’s position next week,” the Ukrainian president added. After the Abu Dhabi talks, Zelenskyy told reporters the U.S. had set a June deadline for Moscow and Kyiv to strike a peace agreement. “The Americans are proposing the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer and will probably put pressure on the parties precisely according to this schedule,” Zelenskyy said at the time, according to The Associated Press. Zelenskyy added at the time that if the June deadline is not met, the Trump administration would likely put pressure on Moscow and Kyiv to meet. On Saturday, he also thanked the U.S. for its “constructive approach” to ending the war. “We greatly appreciate that America consistently maintains a constructive approach and is ready to assist in protecting lives,” Zelenskyy wrote. “I thank President Trump, his team, and the people of the United States for their support.” Rubio on Saturday also said he had discussed peace between Ukraine and Russia at the Munich Security Conference with his G7 counterparts. “Met with my @G7 counterparts in Munich to advance @POTUS’s vision of pursuing peace through strength,” Rubio wrote. “We discussed ongoing efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, promote stability in Venezuela, and address global threats to achieve international peace and prosperity.” The talks between the U.S., Russia and Ukraine are expected to start Tuesday in Geneva.
Fetterman slams Democrats’ ‘Jim Crow 2.0’ voter ID rhetoric as party unity fractures
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., is continuing his streak of breaking with his party — this time on voter ID legislation gaining momentum in the Senate. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Democrats have near-unanimously rejected the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, election integrity legislation that made its way through the House earlier this week. Schumer has dubbed the legislation “Jim Crow 2.0,” arguing it would suppress voters rather than encourage more secure elections. COLLINS BOOSTS REPUBLICAN VOTER ID EFFORT, BUT WON’T SCRAP FILIBUSTER But Fetterman, who has repeatedly rejected his party’s messaging and positions, pushed back on Schumer’s framing of the bill. “I would never refer to the SAVE Act as like Jim Crow 2.0 or some kind of mass conspiracy,” Fetterman told Fox News’ Kayleigh McEnany on “Saturday in America.” “But that’s part of the debate that we were having here in the Senate right now,” he continued. “And I don’t call people names or imply that it’s something gross about the terrible history of Jim Crow.” The bill would require voters to present photo identification before casting ballots, require proof of citizenship in person when registering to vote and mandate states remove non-citizens from voter rolls. MURKOWSKI BREAKS WITH GOP ON VOTER ID, SAYS PUSH ‘IS NOT HOW WE BUILD TRUST’ Momentum is building among Republicans. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, became the 50th member of the conference to back the legislation. But Senate Democrats have all but guaranteed its demise in the upper chamber, via the filibuster. Fetterman would not say whether he supports the bill outright. However, he noted that “84% of Americans have no problem with presenting IDs to vote.” “So it’s not like a radical idea,” Fetterman said. “It’s not something — and there already are many states that show basic IDs. So that’s where we are in the Senate.” HARDLINE CONSERVATIVES DOUBLE DOWN TO SAVE THE SAVE ACT Even if Fetterman were to support the bill on the floor, it is unlikely to pass without more significant procedural changes. There are currently not enough votes to overcome the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold. Fetterman is also not keen on eliminating the filibuster — a position shared by most Senate Republicans. He noted that Senate Democrats once favored scrapping the filibuster but now want to preserve it while in the minority in a Republican-controlled government. “I campaigned on it, too,” Fetterman said. “I mean we were very wrong about that to nuke the filibuster. And we should really humble ourselves and remind people that we wanted to eliminate it — and now we love it.”
ICE officers face criminal probe for alleged ‘untruthful statements’ under oath about Minneapolis shooting
Two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers are under criminal investigation after federal prosecutors moved to dismiss felony assault charges against Venezuelan nationals from a January shooting in Minneapolis. ICE Director Todd Lyons said Friday that newly reviewed video evidence suggests the officers may have made “untruthful statements” under oath about the Jan. 14 confrontation, during which a Venezuelan national was shot, The Associated Press reported. The officers have been placed on administrative leave and could face termination and possible criminal prosecution, according to Lyons and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. MINNESOTA POLICE CHIEFS ALLEGE SOME ICE AGENTS RACIALLY PROFILED US CITIZENS, INCLUDING OFF-DUTY OFFICERS “A joint review by ICE and the Department of Justice (DOJ) of video evidence has revealed that sworn testimony provided by two separate officers appears to have made untruthful statements,” McLaughlin told Fox News Digital in an email. “Both officers have been immediately placed on administrative leave pending the completion of a thorough internal investigation. “Lying under oath is a serious federal offense. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is actively investigating these false statements,” McLaughlin added. “Upon conclusion of the investigation, the officers may face termination of employment, as well as potential criminal prosecution. The men and women of ICE are entrusted with upholding the rule of law and are held to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and ethical conduct. Violations of this sacred sworn oath will not be tolerated.” The case centered on Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna and Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, two Venezuelan nationals initially accused of attacking an ICE officer during what authorities described as a targeted traffic stop. U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen moved to dismiss the charges, citing “newly discovered evidence” that was “materially inconsistent” with allegations outlined in the criminal complaint and earlier court testimony. A federal judge granted the motion on Friday. In court, video footage and witness testimony reportedly failed to support claims that the ICE agent had been assaulted with a shovel and broom, according to the AP. JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN FROM ‘DESTROYING OR ALTERING’ EVIDENCE IN DEADLY MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING According to a previous announcement from DHS, officers attempted to arrest Sosa-Celis Jan. 14 when he allegedly fled in his vehicle, crashed into a parked car and ran on foot. DHS said at the time that an agent caught up with him and that Sosa-Celis resisted and assaulted him. The agency alleged that two additional men — Aljorna and Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma — then struck the officer with a snow shovel and broom handle before the agent fired a shot, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg. All three men were taken into custody after retreating into an apartment, and both the officer and Sosa-Celis were hospitalized, according to authorities. FEDERAL JUDGE BACKS AWAY FROM THREAT TO HOLD ICE LEADER IN CONTEMPT The officers’ names were not released. It remains unclear whether the Venezuelan nationals could face possible deportation. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump trounces Biden energy records in just months as admin celebrates 1 year of ‘historic gains’: data
FIRST ON FOX: The White House on Saturday marked the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council by drawing a sharp contrast with the Biden-era, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum citing higher production and lower gas prices as proof of “real savings” for Americans. “Under the President’s leadership and through the Council’s relentless execution, we have delivered historic gains in energy production, affordability, and security,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, told Fox News Digital. “Gasoline prices have fallen to some of the lowest levels in years, permitting has been streamlined, and American energy exports are surging,” he added. “These achievements are not abstract, they mean real savings for families, farmers, and small businesses, and they are strengthening our position on the world stage.” Trump signed an executive order creating the National Energy Dominance Council on Feb. 14, 2025, which was tasked with cutting red tape and coordinating agencies to boost U.S. energy production, speed up permitting approvals, expand exports and deliver a national “energy dominance” strategy. TRUMP DIRECTS MILITARY TO STRIKE NEW DEALS WITH COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS: ‘GOING TO BE BUYING A LOT OF COAL’ A year later, the administration pointed to a series of metrics showing the U.S. has accelerated past Biden-era data on production — while driving down energy costs that ripple through household budgets, from gas and heating to shipping and groceries. U.S. crude oil production, for example, reached a record 13.6 million barrels per day in 2025, with the White House calling it the highest output of any country in the world. In comparison, the Biden administration took four years for production to climb from 11.3 million to 13.2 million barrels per day, a figure “Trump blew past in months,” according to the White House. On the natural gas production front, the administration said the U.S. produced 110.1 billion cubic feet per day in November 2025, the highest level recorded since federal tracking began in 1973. All in, production is about 8% above the Biden-era average, and 4% above the previous record for U.S. natural gas production, according to the data. TRUMP ADMIN TO REPEAL OBAMA-ERA GREENHOUSE GAS FINDING IN LARGE-SCALE DEREGULATION While the U.S. has also widened its lead as the world’s top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter, with average LNG exports rising to 15 billion cubic feet per day in 2025, up from 11 under the Biden administration. “As we mark this anniversary, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing American Energy Dominance and ensuring that our nation’s energy abundance continues to power prosperity, security, and freedom for generations to come,” Burgum added in a comment to Fox News Digital. TRUMP TO HOST ‘CLEAN BEAUTIFUL COAL’ EVENT, CALLS IT AMERICA’S MOST RELIABLE ENERGY Lowering prices through an expanded energy grid was crucial to the executive order establishing the council itself, calling for “reliable and affordable energy production to drive down inflation, grow our economy, create good-paying jobs.” Energy has emerged as a key piece of the administration’s puzzle of addressing affordability concerns stemming from the Biden era when inflation hit a 40-year-high, as cheaper energy typically ripples through the economy by cutting transportation and shipping costs and lowering the power bills factories pay to make everything from groceries to building materials. The White House cast cheaper gas as a kitchen-table win this year, touting pump prices are about $2.90 a gallon, which is 16% below the Biden-era average and a roughly 42% drop from the $5.02 peak in June 2022. The administration celebrated that affordable energy benefits Americans from working families and rural communities, to small businesses and farmers who typically frequently drive farther for gas or those on a budget. Crude oil prices have fallen by roughly 18% in 2025, dropping to $65 a barrel from the $79 Biden-era average, according to the data. Environmental groups have meanwhile slammed Trump’s “energy dominance” push as a fossil-fuel expansion that undercuts climate goals and could increase pollution and impacts on public lands and communities. “One year ago, President Donald J. Trump launched the National Energy Dominance Council to restore America’s Energy Dominance and make life more affordable for hardworking families. Today, the results speak for themselves,” Burgum said of the data.
Collins boosts Republican voter ID effort, but won’t scrap filibuster
Senate Republicans gained a key ally in their quest to enshrine voter ID into law, but the lawmaker’s support comes with a condition. A trio of lawmakers, led by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, have undertaken a campaign to convince their colleagues to support the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, working social media and closed-door meetings to secure the votes. The campaign has proven successful, with the cohort gaining a crucial vote from Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who announced that she would back the SAVE America Act, which recently passed the House. With Collins, Senate Republicans have at least a slim majority backing the act. HARDLINE CONSERVATIVES DOUBLE DOWN TO SAVE THE SAVE ACT “I support the version of the SAVE America Act that recently passed the House,” Collins said in a statement first reported by the Maine Wire. “The law is clear that in this country only American citizens are eligible to vote in federal elections.” “In addition, having people provide an ID at the polls, just as they have to do before boarding an airplane, checking into a hotel, or buying an alcoholic beverage, is a simple reform that will improve the security of our federal elections and will help give people more confidence in the results,” she continued. Collins noted that she did not support the previous version of the bill, known simply as the SAVE Act, because it “would have required people to prove their citizenship every single time they cast a ballot.” ONLY ONE HOUSE DEM VOTED IN FAVOR OF VOTER ID, PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP IN US ELECTIONS Her decision gives Lee and Senate Republicans the votes needed to clear a key procedural hurdle in the Senate. “We now have enough votes to pass a motion to proceed to the House-passed bill — even without any additional votes — with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie,” Lee said in a post on X. That tie-breaking scenario would only present itself if Republicans turn to the standing, or talking, filibuster. It’s a move that Lee has been pushing his colleagues to make, and one that would require actual, physical debate over the bill. It’s the precursor to the current version of the filibuster, where the only hill lawmakers have to climb is acquiring 60 votes. Lee and other conservatives believe that if they turn to the standing filibuster, rather than the “zombie filibuster,” they can barrel through Democratic resistance. But some fear that turning to that tool could paralyze the Senate floor for weeks or even months, depending on Senate Democrats’ resolve. And Collins’ support is not enough to smash through the 60-vote Senate filibuster. MURKOWSKI BREAKS WITH GOP ON VOTER ID, SAYS PUSH ‘IS NOT HOW WE BUILD TRUST’ Complicating matters, Collins made clear that she does not support doing away with the filibuster, as do several other Senate Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who reiterated earlier this week that the GOP doesn’t have the votes to eliminate the legislative tool. “I oppose eliminating the legislative filibuster,” Collins said. “The filibuster is an important protection for the rights of the minority party that requires Senators to work together in the best interest of the country.” “Removing that protection would, for example, allow a future Congress controlled by Democrats to pass provisions on anything they want — D.C. statehood, open borders, or packing the Supreme Court — with just a simple majority of Senators,” she continued. GOP senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, remain the only Republicans who have not pledged support for the SAVE Act.
Conservative firebrand launches ‘TruckSafe Tipline’ to report illegal drivers amid spike in highway deaths
Amid heightened concern over highway deaths involving illegal immigrant drivers, conservative firebrand Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., is launching a “TruckSafe Tipline” to enable truckers to share concerns about illegals on U.S. roads. “Indiana is the Crossroads of America and Hoosiers are getting killed because drivers who shouldn’t be here in the first place are behind the wheel,” Banks said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. Through the online portal, which is already live, concerned citizens are able to share information about carriers they believe are employing or contracting with drivers who are not legally in the United States, not authorized to drive a truck, or who cannot meet required English-language safety standards. A spokesperson for Banks’ office told Fox News Digital that reports submitted to the TruckSafe Tipline will be reviewed by the senator’s staff and shared with the U.S. Department of Transportation and its Office of Inspector General. SANCTUARY STATES NEED CRACKDOWN AS AMERICANS PAY PRICE FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKERS: GOP LAWMAKER “If you’re driving a truck on our roads, you need to be legal, you need to be able to read traffic signs, and you need to follow the law,” said Banks. “The TruckSafe Tipline gives people on the ground a way to speak up when they see carriers cutting corners and putting lives at risk.” In an X post, Banks addressed truckers directly, writing, “If you’re a trucker or work in the industry and see something unsafe or know of shady carriers hiring illegals, I want to hear from you.” This comes shortly after a driver of a semi-truck at the center of a multi-vehicle crash that left four dead in Indiana was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Indiana State Police said the fatal crash happened Tuesday around 4 p.m. in the area of State Road 67 and County Road 550 East in Jay County, where the truck collided with a van. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Fox News that the driver, Bekzhan Beishekeev, is a Kyrgyzstani national who entered the U.S. via the Biden-era CBP One cell phone app on Dec. 19, 2024, at the Nogales, Ariz., port of entry, and he was released into the U.S. via parole by the Biden administration. GOP FIREBRAND URGES TRUMP AGENCIES TO CLAW BACK MASSIVE TAXPAYER BENEFITS PAID OUT TO IMMIGRANTS Beishekeev, 30, was reportedly driving on SR 67 in Indiana when he didn’t stop for another slowed semi-truck, swerving instead into oncoming traffic and crashing head-on into a van, killing four people, several of whom were reportedly Amish. Banks’ office remarked that “this was not the first fatal accident caused by an illegal truck driver on Indiana’s roads.” The office pointed to the death of Indiana National Guardsman Terry Frye last November in a crash that involved a Georgian national who entered the country illegally in 2022. Just a month before that, Borko Stankovic, an illegal alien from Serbia and Montenegro, caused a multi-car accident that killed a 54-year-old. Despite being in the United States illegally since 2011, the Stankovic owned two trucking companies that received over $36,000 in COVID-19 relief funding. In October, Fox News Digital reported on Illinois-based trucking executive Mike Kucharski, co-owner and vice president of JKC Trucking, blowing the whistle on illegal alien commercial drivers not only endangering American roads but also “killing the trucking business.” CORNYN PUSHES ‘ZERO MERCY’ LAW TO DEPORT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CONVICTED OF DEADLY DRUNK DRIVING Kucharski explained further that, though a heavily regulated industry, illegal alien truck drivers can exploit a “loophole” in the system by obtaining non-domiciled commercial drivers’ licenses from sanctuary states. They are then able to outcompete legitimate trucking businesses by charging lower prices, leading to the demise of many American small businesses in the industry. “American truck drivers are patriots and vital to our country. No one is more outraged about what’s happening than them,” Banks wrote in another X post, adding, “Shady trucking companies that hire illegals, put lives at risk, and undercut American drivers’ wages are the problem. We must hold them accountable!” U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also chimed in on X, writing, “[Sen. Banks] is absolutely right! Too many lives have been lost and this must stop.” “We will crack down on these shady trucking companies and get to the bottom of the crash that killed four members of the Amish community in Indiana,” he said, noting, “Stay tuned for more to come on this.”
‘It’s absurd’: DHS shutdown bears down on US as lawmakers jet off to Europe
The government entered a partial shutdown at midnight Friday after Congress failed to reach a funding deal — and some lawmakers’ decision to attend an international gathering in Europe this weekend is drawing criticism from colleagues on both sides of the aisle. “It’s absurd, I hope the American people are paying attention,” Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital. The deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by the end of the week came with a built-in complication: members of both chambers were scheduled to attend the annual Munich Security Conference, with many set to depart by day’s end Thursday. GOVERNMENT TO SHUT DOWN AT MIDNIGHT AFTER DEMS, WHITE HOUSE FAIL TO STRIKE DHS DEAL Without a deal in place, Congress left Washington, D.C., on Thursday after the Senate failed to pass both a full-year funding bill for DHS and a temporary, two-week funding extension. At midnight Friday — with several lawmakers already in Germany — DHS shut down. Both Republican leaders warned members to be prepared to return if a deal was reached. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., gave senators 24 hours’ notice to return, while House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., allowed a 48-hour window. Despite the conference being scheduled months in advance, some lawmakers said leaving Washington — or even the country — during an active funding standoff sent the wrong message. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., arguing that Democrats blocked Republican-led efforts to prevent a partial DHS shutdown. DHS SHUTDOWN EXPLAINED: WHO WORKS WITHOUT PAY, WHAT HAPPENS TO AIRPORTS AND DISASTER RESPONSE “Schumer’s what’s deciding this,” Scott told Fox News Digital. “I mean, he’s deciding that he’s more interested in people going to Munich than he is in funding DHS.” Several lawmakers from both chambers are attending the conference, participating in side discussions and panels during the annual forum, where heads of state and top decision-makers gather to debate international security policy. Members of the House expressed frustration that senators would leave amid stalled negotiations between Senate Democrats and the White House. “The Senate started out a week ago saying, ‘I don’t think anybody should leave town,’” Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., told Fox News Digital. “Now they’re doing the Munich thing. At least [the House] sent a bill over … not a great pride moment for the federal government, is it?” Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., led a bipartisan delegation of 11 senators to the conference. When asked whether the shutdown would affect his travel plans, Whitehouse said, “I hope not.” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who was scheduled to participate in a panel with Graham titled “The State of Russia,” according to the conference agenda, said lawmakers should have resolved outstanding issues before leaving town. “I’m not delighted with Republican resistance and unresponsiveness, but it’s on them at this point,” Blumenthal said. House rules prohibit official congressional delegations, also known as CODELs, during a shutdown. Still, several House members made the trip to Bavaria. At least a handful of House Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., attended the conference. DEMS DIG IN, GUARANTEE SHUTDOWN WITH BLOCK OF DHS FUNDING House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., said during a hearing on the impact of a DHS shutdown that it would be “unconscionable if Congress leaves and does not solve the problem.” “I’m sure Munich is a great place. I’ve been there many times. The beer is outstanding,” Cole said. “But we don’t need to go to a defense conference someplace in Europe when we’re not taking care of the defense of the United States of America.” Lawmakers are expected to continue negotiations throughout the weekend while many are abroad. Senate Democrats have signaled they may present a counteroffer to the White House but have not finalized a proposal. If an agreement is reached, it would still take time to draft the legislative text and bring the measure to the Senate floor. Even so, some lawmakers argued that stepping away from negotiations — whether returning home or traveling overseas — was the wrong move. “I’ve been pretty outspoken to say we need to stay as long as we have to be here to be able to get things resolved so we don’t ever have a shutdown,” Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital. “That’s the easiest way to resolve it is to say ‘no one walks away from the table,’” he added. “We stay at the table.” Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital the situation reflects poorly on GOP leadership’s handling of funding priorities, though he acknowledged the significance of the international conference. “There’s a certain irony that we would not be here to fund essential services of our government, but we have enough time and energy to go to the Munich Security Conference, which admittedly is a very important international gathering,” Morelle said. “But I think it says a lot about the lack of leadership…we can’t do the fundamentals of this job.”
Cal State prof warns scrapping SAT in name of ‘inclusivity’ is leaving students unprepared
A California economics professor is sounding the alarm on the “deficits in learning” she is seeing in the classroom, arguing that the decision to scrap standardized testing in the name of “inclusivity” is actually a disservice to the students it claims to help. Cal State Long Beach professor Andrea Mays told Fox News Digital that the current cohort of college students, many of whom spent their formative middle school years in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, are arriving on campus unprepared for basic coursework. Mays spoke to Fox News Digital about the state’s university system’s decision to scrap the SAT as a requirement for college admission as playing a large role in that and that it has led to students coming to college unprepared and dropping out at higher rates. Mays says the drop rate is up “phenomenally” and that chairs of other departments tell her it’s widespread, with 25% of students dropping classes, with math being a key area where students are coming in underprepared. GOT A SCOOP ON CAMPUS? SEND US A TIP HERE “I teach a class that is offered for non-economics majors,” Mays explained. “I could put on an index card exactly what math is required for my class, it’s not calculus, and they are struggling with it, they’re embarrassed, they’re demoralized, they come into my classroom, and they say, or into my office hours, and they say, I never learned this stuff, I don’t know how to calculate a percentage change.” “I can show them, but those are the students who are actually coming to me and asking me for help. There are lots of other students who are just too embarrassed even to do that, and who just end up dropping the class.” Mays, who recently penned an opinion piece in the Orange County Register with the headline “Bring back the SAT at CSU — or admit we are failing our own students,” says that the explanation she has gotten for the CSU system dropping the SAT is that “we want to be inclusive.” “I am definitely for inclusivity on our campus,” Mays said. “We have a very diverse campus here. But I think it’s fraud to tell people that what we’re doing is so that we can be inclusive when really what we’re doing is we’re allowing people to enter that we know are really going to have a difficult time of it. They have no idea.” ‘NATION’S REPORT CARD’ SHOWS ALARMING DECLINE IN SCIENCE, MATH AND READING SCORES In recent years, several activist groups have railed against the SAT and standardized testing in general, including the nation’s largest teachers union, and Fox News Digital asked Mays if that narrative is behind the CSU decision not to require the SAT. “That might be a little bit of the implication there without saying so, I’m not an expert in the recent changes in the SAT, others have done that work looking at whether you can change questions so that groups that don’t do well on certain questions, can do better on other types of questions,” Mays said. “There’s definitely room for discussion about what kind of a standard, is it the ACT? Is it the SAT or something? The problem is that high schools are heterogeneous,” Mays said. “Not all high schools are excellent even if they say they are. And so you’ll get students who get As in algebra two, and then they come into my class and they can’t calculate a percentage change. They can’t find the intersection between two straight lines, both of which are seventh and eighth grade math requirements. So that students are getting passed on from high school into a four-year university is a disservice to them. They get here thinking they’re wonderful and finding out that they are at the bottom of the ability distribution for math and English.” Acting Chancellor Steve Relyea stated in 2022 that when the decision to remove the SAT and ACT was made, the goal was to “level the playing field” and provide “greater access.” The decision followed a year-long study by the Admission Advisory Council, which found that the tests provided “negligible additional value” in predicting student success compared to high school GPA. SCATHING REPORT REVEALS ANTIFA-LINKED ORG PASSING OUT MATERIAL TO K-12 STUDENTS: ‘POLITICAL REVOLUTION’ The system officially moved to “multi-factored admission criteria,” focusing on GPA in specific high school courses, extracurriculars, and socio-economic factors. “Access without readiness is not opportunity,” Mays wrote in her article. “It is a disservice. If CSU is serious about student success, affordability, and equity, it must be willing to measure preparedness — and act on what it finds.” Mays added, “Pretending preparation gaps do not exist is not equity.” Mays told Fox News Digital that California’s robust and effective community college system is a tool ready to be utilized as an “alternative” for students who are coming out of high school, many who lost years of learning during COVID, and not prepared for college. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Go into the community system and take the lowest level English class you can so that you can write a sentence, you can write a paragraph, you could make an argument,” Mays said. “Take a basic math class that will transfer onto a four-year university and learn how to do the basic math that perhaps you didn’t learn when you were in middle school online.” The California State University System did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. “There’s no reason not to use an SAT as a filter to let students know whether they’re prepared for college-level work or not,” Mays told Fox News Digital.
Here’s how the DHS shutdown could impact the lives of everyday Americans
The federal government has entered its third partial shutdown of the last half-year after Congress failed to reach an agreement on all 12 of its annual spending bills. Unlike past shutdowns, however, this one just affects the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It comes after Democrats walked away from a bipartisan deal to fund the department amid uproar over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. And while some 97% of the federal government has been funded at this point, a DHS shutdown will still have effects on everyday Americans — effects that will become more apparent the longer the standoff continues. DHS SHUTDOWN EXPLAINED: WHO WORKS WITHOUT PAY, WHAT HAPPENS TO AIRPORTS AND DISASTER RESPONSE Disruptions to the TSA, whose agents are responsible for security checks at nearly 440 airports across the country, could perhaps be the most impactful part of the partial shutdown to Americans’ everyday lives. Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told lawmakers at a hearing on Wednesday that around 95% of TSA employees — roughly 61,000 people — are deemed essential and will be forced to work without pay in the event of a shutdown. “We heard reports of officers sleeping in their cars at airports to save money on gas, selling their blood and plasma, and taking on second jobs to make ends meet,” she said of the last shutdown. But it would take some time before TSA funding could translate to delays. TSA agents, like other essential federal workers, received back pay once the shutdown was over. Those who did not miss shifts also got a $10,000 bonus for added relief. FETTERMAN BUCKS DEMOCRATS, SAYS PARTY PUT POLITICS OVER COUNTRY IN DHS SHUTDOWN STANDOFF TSA paychecks due to be issued on March 3 could see agents getting reduced pay depending on the length of the shutdown. Agents would not be at risk of missing a full paycheck until March 17. If that happens, however, Americans could see delays or even cancellations at the country’s busiest airports as TSA agents are forced to call out of work and get second jobs to make ends meet. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is one of the largest and most critical recipients of federal funding under DHS. Associate Administrator of the Office of Response and Recovery Gregg Phillips told lawmakers on Wednesday that FEMA has enough funds to continue disaster response through a shutdown in the immediate future, but that its budget would be strained in the event of an unforeseen “catastrophic disaster.” That means Americans hit by an unexpected natural disaster during the shutdown could see delayed federal reimbursement for their homes and small businesses. Others who have already lived through a natural disaster in the last year but still have not received their checks — FEMA is currently working through a backlog worth billions of dollars — could see that relief delayed even further during the shutdown. “In the 45 days I’ve been here … we have spent $3 billion in 45 days on 5,000 projects,” Phillips said. “We’re going as fast as we can. We’re committed to reducing the backlog. I can’t go any faster than we actually are. And if this lapses, that’s going to stop.” American business owners who rely on certain types of worker visas could see processing times extended during a DHS shutdown. That’s because United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) programs are run under DHS and are responsible for processing most immigration applications as well as temporary visas. The majority of those programs are funded by fees and are largely untouched. However, areas like e-Verify, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program, Conrad 30 J-1 doctors, and non-minister religious workers all rely on funding appropriated by Congress, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association. USCIS could allow employers to use alternate processes if e-Verify is disrupted during a shutdown, but it’s not clear how much time it would add to business owners’ day-to-day responsibilities to learn a new route for that paperwork.
‘Fiction’: House Republican campaign chair dismisses Democrats’ expanding GOP target map
EXCLUSIVE – Emboldened congressional Democrats are expanding their battleground map for this year’s midterm elections, when Republicans will be defending their razor-thin majority in the House. But the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) chairman, Rep. Richard Hudson, isn’t buying it. “I mean, I’ve read fiction my whole life, and I recognize it when I see it,” Hudson said in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital. Republicans currently control the House 218-214, with two right-tilting districts and one left-leaning seat currently vacant. Democrats need a net gain of just three seats in the midterms to win back the majority for the first time in four years. HOUSE DEMOCRATS ON OFFENSE: EXPAND GOP TARGET LIST The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) this week added five more offensive opportunities in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, South Carolina and Virginia to their list of what they consider are vulnerable Republican-held House districts. That brings the total number of districts Democrats are hoping to flip to 44. The DCCC notes that all five of the new districts they’re adding to their list of “offensive targets” were carried by President Donald Trump by 13 points or fewer in the 2024 elections. FOX NEWS POLL: AN EARLY LOOK AT THE 2026 MIDTERMS “Democrats are on offense, and our map reflects the fact that everyday Americans are tired of Republicans’ broken promises and ready for change in Congress,” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene emphasized earlier this week. And DCCC Spokesperson Viet Shelton told Fox News Digital, “In a political environment where Democrats are overperforming by more than 17 points in congressional special elections, it’s pretty clear we’re poised to re-take the majority. Momentum and the American people are on our side while Republicans are running scared.” Asked about the DCCC’s move, Hudson scoffed. “They’ve got to have a list they can present to their donors,” he said as he pointed to the DCCC. “But it’s not realistic. I mean, if you look at the map, there are very few seats up for grabs, and the majority of those seats are held by Democrats, but they’re seats that Donald Trump has carried or came very close….if you look at the seats that we’ll be competing for this fall. They’re all favoring Republicans.” The House GOP campaign chair added, “If you look at the map, it’s a Republican map. We just got to go out and win those races.” The move by the DCCC comes as Democrats are energized, despite the party’s polling woes. Democrats, thanks to their laser focus on affordability amid persistent inflation, scored decisive victories in the 2025 elections and have won or over performed in a slew of scheduled and special ballot box contests since Trump returned to the White House over a year ago. GOP CALLS TRUMP ITS ‘SECRET WEAPON’ — BUT POLLS SHOW WARNING SIGNS HEADING INTO MIDTERMS Republicans, meanwhile, are facing traditional political headwinds in which the party in power in the nation’s capital normally suffers setbacks in the midterm elections. And the GOP is also dealing with Trump’s continued underwater approval ratings. The latest national surveys, including the most recent Fox News poll, indicate the Democrats ahead of the Republicans by mid-single digits in the so-called generic ballot question, which asks respondents whether they’d back the Democratic or GOP candidate in their congressional district without offering specific candidate names. Asked about the polls, Hudson said, “We almost never lead in the generic ballot. But a single digit generic ballot, we do very well.” And the House GOP campaign chair added he remains “very bullish.” Cost of living concerns helped boost Trump and Republicans to sweeping victories in 2024, but affordability and overall economic concerns may work against them this year. While the latest AP/NORC national poll indicated the GOP with a slight advantage over Democrats on handling the economy, a bunch of surveys, including the latest Fox News poll, indicate many Americans feel things are worse off than they were a year ago and remain pessimistic about the economy. But on Friday the latest government numbers indicated that inflation eased during January. And Hudson says the economy is still a winning issue for Republicans. CASH SURGE: HOUSE GOP SMASHES FUNDRAISING RECORDS AS REPUBLICANS GEAR UP TO DEFEND SLIM MAJORITY Pointing to the numerous tax cuts kicking in this year in the GOP’s sweeping One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Trump signed into law last summer, Hudson touted “we put policies in place that are going to bring prosperity to the American people, and they’re starting to feel it.” “And as we move into tax season…folks who work overtime, folks who work for tips, they’re going to see a lot more money in their pocket thanks to no tax on tips, no tax on overtime,” he added. The GOP is also dealing with a low propensity issue: MAGA voters who don’t always go to the polls when Trump’s name isn’t on the ballot. “Our voters tend to be more working-class voters, and you have to put in extra effort to get them to the polls,” Hudson said. “We know that’s our challenge. President Trump knows that’s the challenge, and he’s committed to helping us.” Pointing to the NRCC’s annual fundraising gala, which Trump will once again headline this year, Hudson said this dinner will be a great kickoff for this year. We raised a whole lot of money with President Trump last year. We plan to raise a lot of money in March with President Trump, and then he’s going to get out on the campaign trail and help us turn out those voters and make that case.” Asked about midterm election predictions, Hudson shied away from giving any hard numbers. “Not going to give you a number, but we’re going to hold the majority,” he predicted. “President Trump was elected with a very specific agenda. We delivered almost his entire domestic agenda, and we’re going to go back to the voters and say promises made, promises kept, and they’re going to keep this