DHS ending participation in naturalization ceremonies in sanctuary jurisdictions
The Department of Homeland Security will no longer participate in naturalization ceremonies in state, county, and city venues in localities that have adopted sanctuary policies, which limit local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts. Leadership at U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) told employees at every field office in a Monday email that the agency will no longer participate in such events. “USCIS will not participate with these state/local entities for administrative ceremonies and instead will host the ceremonies at our offices, privately-owned venues, or other federally owned/operated spaces,” the directive states. “If an entity located in a sanctuary city requests to host a ceremony, we request that you politely decline the invitation.” BLUE STATE SANCTUARY LAWS ENABLED ILLEGAL ‘ABOLISH ICE’ ACTIVIST TO EVADE CAPTURE, SAYS LOCAL DA For example, if the city of Los Angeles wanted to host a naturalization ceremony at a library, museum or school, USCIS would not participate, meaning the event couldn’t be held. The ceremonies are the final step towards becoming a U.S. citizen, and is where the Oath of Allegiance is taken. A senior DHS official told Fox News that sanctuary policies put the public and law enforcement at risk. “Sanctuary policies are an insult to our Constitution, they endanger all levels of law enforcement, and they leave law-abiding American citizens around the country at the mercy of violent and dangerous criminal aliens,” the officials said. “America still welcomes those who come here legally and complete the naturalization process, USCIS will simply do those at locations where the rule of law is still respected.” The change won’t affect someone’s chance of becoming a naturalized American citizen, USCIS said. BLUE STATE LEADER SOUNDS ALARM ABOUT ‘PERFECT STORM’ OF DEM IMMIGRATION POLICIES DECIMATING PUBLIC SAFETY The Trump administration has targeted sanctuary cities as it presses ahead with its mass deportation efforts. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforces U.S. immigration laws nationwide but seeks state and local help, often requesting assistance from local police and sheriffs to alert them to those ordered to be deported. The agency often asks local authorities to hold criminal illegal immigrants until federal officers take custody of the suspects. However, some jurisdictions ignore the requests and release the illegal immigrants back onto the streets. The Trump administration has suggested cutting federal funding to cities that adopt sanctuary policies, in an effort to wield the money as a tool against jurisdictions that get in the way of deportation efforts.
Trump: ‘We’ll never stop looking’ for American journalist kidnapped in Syria, Austin Tice
President Donald Trump said that the U.S. would continue to search for Austin Tice, an American journalist who disappeared in Syria in 2012. Tice, who previously served as a captain in the Marine Corps and was a student at Georgetown University Law Center, started working as an independent journalist for McClatchy, The Washington Post and other outlets in Syria in May 2012 before jihadist militants seized him near Damascus. Trump said that although there has been “virtually no sign” of Tice, his administration would continue to try to secure Tice’s release. “Until we find out something definitive, one way or the other, we’ll never stop looking,” Trump told reporters Monday. “But we have been, and the response – it’s just a lot of dead ends. It’s been done for a long time. The problem is, there’s never been a sighting.” AUSTIN TICE: FBI RENEWS PUSH TO FIND KIDNAPPED AMERICAN JOURNALIST IN SYRIA Trump’s comments come after Tice’s mother, Debra, told reporters at the National Press Club in December that they’d received information suggesting that her son was still alive. “We have from a significant source that has been vetted all over our government: Austin Tice is alive,” his mother Debra Tice said Dec. 6. She later met with former President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, at the White House to discuss her son’s wrongful detainment. Meanwhile, rebels also overthrew Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime in December, prompting the FBI to issue a statement reiterating its push from April 2018 for more information that could lead to Tice’s release. “Given recent events in Syria, the FBI is renewing our call for information that could lead to the safe location, recovery, and return of Austin Bennett Tice, who was detained in Damascus in August 2012,” the FBI said in a statement in December. AUSTIN TICE: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT AMERICAN JOURNALIST MISSING IN SYRIA “The FBI and our government partners remain committed to bringing Austin home to his family, and we are still offering a reward of up to $1 million for information that leads to Austin’s safe return,” the FBI said. Both Trump’s first administration and Biden’s administration have launched efforts to advance the release of Tice. Biden urged the Syrian government to release Tice in 2020, and said the U.S. knew “with certainty” that the Syrian regime was holding him hostage. Syria has publicly denied it has detained Tice. There were 46 American nationals known to be held captive in 16 different countries in 2024, according to the nonprofit Foley Foundation, which advocates for U.S. hostages and was named after James Foley, a U.S. journalist kidnapped while reporting in Syria in 2012 and killed by ISIS in 2014. That number is now likely closer to the low 30s after the recent releases of hostages in January and February through efforts by the Trump administration. Fox News’ Michael Dorgan and Stephany Price contributed to this report.
Hawley officially a yes on Dr. Oz after securing commitments on transgender, abortion issues
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., will vote to confirm President Donald Trump’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) nominee, Dr. Mehmet Oz, after securing commitments from him regarding transgender treatments for minors and abortion. “On this basis, I will vote to confirm him. Now that I am confident that he has moved away from his previous positions, and he’s moved into alignment with the president, I feel comfortable voting for him,” he told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview on Monday. The senator revealed that Oz responded to his inquiries and disavowed his past stances on transgender treatments for minors and abortion in a series of posts on X earlier in the day. ‘BLINDSIDED’: HOW STEFANIK’S TRUMP NOMINATION AS UN AMBASSADOR IMPLODED “Dr. Oz has responded to my questions re: past support for trans treatments for minors & his criticism of right to life. Oz now disavows his previous support for trans surgeries & drugs for minor children. He pledges to ‘end chemical and surgical mutilation of children,’” Hawley wrote on X on Monday. “He also walks back past criticism of state pro-life laws, says he supports the Dobbs decision, and is ‘unequivocally pro-life.’ He vows to enforce conscience protections, end the abuse of [the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act], and work to end funding for abortion providers,” he continued. “This was really a big shift of position for him,” he explained, adding that he was “delighted” by Oz’s responses. “When it comes to the [transgender] issue and the life issue, those are non-negotiable for me, just as I believe they are for the president,” the Missouri Republican explained. “I want to know that these people are 100% clear.” HOW TRUMP-BLOCKING JUDGES MANAGED TO GET PAST SENATE JUDICIARY HAWKS “Every member of the Trump administration is working from the same playbook, President Trump’s playbook, to restore commonsense policies and put an end to left-wing ideological nonsense afflicting our government,” White House spokesman Kush Desai told Fox News Digital in a statement. “We look forward to the Senate’s swift confirmation of Dr. Oz so he can join the rest of our all-star team at HHS working to Make America Healthy Again by restoring common sense, transparency, and confidence in our healthcare apparatus.” Earlier in the month, Hawley sent Oz a list of questions, specifically probing him on those issues. As of last week, Hawley said the nominee hadn’t responded, which the senator called “strange.” Oz previously used his television show as a platform for people who supported and promoted transgender treatments, particularly for minors. Specifically, he hosted two transgender children on his show in 2010 in a segment titled, “Transgender Kids: Too Young to Decide?” He also expressed concerns about state laws to limit abortion during a 2019 interview on the popular radio show “The Breakfast Club.” It’s “a hard issue for everybody,” he said at the time. And while on “a personal level,” Oz didn’t like abortion, he also believed he should not “interfere with everyone else’s stuff,” he said. JOSH HAWLEY BELIEVES HIS BILL CAN STOP ‘RESISTANCE’ JUDGES FROM ‘PROVOKING A CRISIS’ Oz also opposed government jurisdiction on the subject of abortion when he ran for Senate in Pennsylvania as a Republican in 2022. “I don’t want the federal government involved with that at all,” he claimed during a debate with now-Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa. “I want women, doctors, local political leaders, letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive, to put the best ideas forward, so states can decide for themselves.” Hawley’s commitments from Oz are just the latest he’s received from Trump nominees as he considers them for confirmation. He previously got assurances from now-Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the same issues. REPUBLICANS LOOK TO ABOLISH TSA IN FAVOR OF PRIVATE SECURITY AT AIRPORTS When it came to now-leader of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Dr. Marty Makary, Hawley led a successful campaign to secure the resignation of a top lawyer with the FDA who previously argued in favor of abortion pill access in a high-profile case while in former President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ). “I just view my role for those I have to vote on — I want to know that these people are going to align with the president,” Hawley said, noting that he believes Trump has “moved really fast [and] really strong” on the issues.
Trump admin reviewing billions in government contracts, grants for Harvard amid antisemitism allegations
The Department of Education recently announced a “comprehensive review” of federal contracts and government-funded grants at Harvard University, which is part of an investigation to eliminate antisemitism on campuses. The efforts, on behalf of the Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, are being launched in accordance with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Its primary goal is to “eliminat[e] anti-Semitic [sic] harassment on college campuses,” which has proliferated amid the Israel-Hamas war and pro-Palestinian protests at universities. In a press release on Monday, the Department of Education said that over $255.6 million in contracts between Harvard, its affiliates and the federal government will be reviewed, plus nearly $9 billion worth of grants. “The review also includes the more than $8.7 billion in multi-year grant commitments to Harvard University and its affiliates to ensure the university is in compliance with federal regulations, including its civil rights responsibilities,” the agency described. TRUMP ANNOUNCES PLAN TO CHOP DOWN MAGNOLIA TREE PURPORTEDLY PLANTED BY ANDREW JACKSON: ‘MUST COME TO AN END’ “Any institution found to be in violation of federal compliance standards may face administrative actions, including contract termination.” In a statement, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said that Harvard’s reputation was “in serious jeopardy” over the prevalence of antisemitism on campus. “Harvard has served as a symbol of the American Dream for generations — the pinnacle aspiration for students all over the world to work hard and earn admission to the storied institution,” McMahon’s statement read. “Harvard’s failure to protect students on campus from anti-Semitic [sic] discrimination — all while promoting divisive ideologies over free inquiry — has put its reputation in serious jeopardy.” TRUMP NOMINATES SUSAN MONAREZ TO BECOME THE NEXT CDC DIRECTOR, SAYS AMERICANS ‘LOST CONFIDENCE’ IN AGENCY “Harvard can right these wrongs and restore itself to a campus dedicated to academic excellence and truth-seeking, where all students feel safe on its campus.” The latest move comes nearly a month after the Trump administration announced it would rescind more than $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University. “Since Oct. 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and antisemitic harassment on their campuses — only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” McMahon said at the time. “Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding.” Fox News Digital reached out to Harvard for comment.
Trump quips he’d ‘love’ to run against Obama in hypothetical third-term presidency
President Donald Trump said he would “love” to run against former President Barack Obama in a hypothetical third-term run for the presidency that he has floated in recent days. “I know it’s hypothetical right now, but if you were allowed for some reason to run for a third term, is there a thought that the Democrats could try to run Barack Obama against you?” Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked Trump on Monday evening from the Oval Office. “I’d love that,” Trump responded. “I’d love that …. That would be a good one. I’d like that. And no, people are asking me to run, and there’s a whole story about running for a third term. I don’t know, I never looked into it. They do say there’s a way you can do it, but I don’t know about that.” Trump said that he has not looked into the potential legal avenues of running for a third presidency, saying he has nearly four years left of his term and is focused on doing a “fantastic job.” TRUMP TEASES RUNNING FOR A THIRD TERM: ‘NOT JOKING’ The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified in 1951, prevents presidents from serving more than two terms. The amendment was ratified after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected as president for four terms. LAWMAKER UNVEILS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO GIVE TRUMP THIRD TERM Roosevelt died during his fourth term and Vice President Harry Truman assumed the presidency. FDR is the only president in the nation’s history who has been elected and served more than two terms, which was largely due to the political and economic climate at home and abroad, with his presidency unfolding amid the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II. TRUMP UNLOADS ON JUDGE BOASBERG, ‘RADICAL LEFT JUDGES’ FOR HALTING DEPORTATIONS OF VIOLENT ILLEGAL ALIENS Trump teased he might run for a third term in an interview with NBC News on Sunday, saying he is “not joking” about making another run for the Oval Office and enjoys working. ‘PEOPLE LOVE THE JOB THIS PRESIDENT IS DOING’: KAROLINE LEAVITT RESPONDS TO BUZZ ABOUT POTENTIAL TRUMP THIRD TERM “There are methods which you could do it,” Trump said when asked about how he could go about running for a third term. NBC News floated a possible method during the interview where Vice President JD Vance could run for the presidency, win and pass the torch to Trump. The president said such a scenario is one of the methods he could use to serve a third term. “It is far too early to think about it,” he added of another potential run.
Fox Politics Newsletter: Mike ‘Waltz-es’
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Republican AGs urge Trump to crack down on obscure ‘loophole’ cartels use to flood U.S. with fentanyl -Where Trump stands 10 weeks into his second tour of duty in the White House -House Republicans brush off Stefanik’s Trump admin upheaval amid high-stakes Florida race The White House considers the Signal group chat leak case “closed,” Trump administration press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the media Monday while reiterating President Donald Trump’s support of national security advisor Mike Waltz. “As the president has made it very clear, Mike Waltz continues to be an important part of his national security team,” Leavitt told the media in brief remarks during a gaggle outside of the White House’s press room Monday afternoon. “And this case has been closed here at the White House, as far as we are concerned.” “There have been steps made to ensure that something like that can obviously never happen again,” she continued. “And we’re moving forward. And the president and Mike Waltz and his entire national security team have been working together very well, if you look at how much safer the United States of America is because of the leadership of this team.”…Read more UNLIKELY ALLY: Trump and his tariffs find unlikely ally in auto union boss, who blasted Dems and ‘corporate greed’ FOR THE RECORD: Trump admin breaking modern presidential staffing records, hiring ‘thousands of America First warriors’ ECONOMICS 101: Trump privatizing student loan system would spur higher-ed reform, lower costs ‘LIBERATION DAY’: Trump’s 11th week in office set to focus on tariffs as president touts ‘Liberation Day’ ‘DEGRADED THE AUTONOMY’: US sanctions 6 Beijing, Hong Kong authorities for ‘undermining’ the island region’s autonomy ILLEGAL ALIENS EXPELLED: El Salvador accepts more alleged Tren de Aragua gang members from Trump admin ‘SHAM CHARITY’: Iran-born Yale scholar fired over allegations of working with terrorist-tied ‘sham charity’ DIVIDED LOYALTIES: Massie and several GOP colleagues push proposal to require dual citizenship disclosure by political candidates ‘JUST SAY NO’: Conservative backlash erupts after Trump’s Graham endorsement: ‘I am not with Trump at all with this one’ MIDTERMS WATCH: Who are the most vulnerable Senate Republicans in 2026? FIRST ON FOX: New research reveals how EV, emissions mandates are inflating costs for gas-powered cars, utilities TOP 5 TAKEDOWNS: Top 5 wins for FBI since Kash Patel took office GRAD SCHOOL GRANDSTANDING: Tim Walz’s daughter ditches grad school, backs anti-Israel protesters ‘I AM OPTIMISTIC’: Another red state expected to cut income taxes PUMP THE BREAKS: NYC Dem calls on NYPD to investigate car buyers ‘aggressively’ test driving Teslas on city streets NO SAFE HAVEN: Texas claims border islands used by Mexican cartels, asks Trump admin to secure and defend OIL SLICK: $3B LA lawsuit could ‘destroy’ gulf energy industry, critics warn, as state’s position questioned STOPPING THE SLIDE: Hegseth says he’s signing memo on combat arms standards for men and women ‘TRUMP DESERVES PRAISE’: Oliver Stone to testify at JFK files House hearing ‘SUPER IMPORTANT’: Elon Musk hands out million-dollar checks in ‘super important’ Wisconsin judicial race ‘BIN LADEN’: Dems ridicule bill aimed at abolishing TSA, suggest ‘Bin Laden’ and ‘the Ayatollah’ would support it Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Anna Paulina Luna resigns from House Freedom Caucus, says ‘mutual respect’ was ‘shattered’
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is resigning from the House Freedom Caucus, she announced in a letter to fellow conservatives on Monday. It’s the latest escalation in her fight against House GOP leaders and a small group of members on the right flank of their conference over the issue of proxy voting. Luna has teamed up with Democrats and several other Republicans on a mechanism aimed at forcing consideration of legislation that allows new parents in the House to vote remotely for 12 weeks around their baby’s birth. “I have consistently supported each of you, even in moments of disagreement, honoring the mutual respect that has guided our caucus,” Luna wrote. “That respect, however, was shattered last week.” EXPERT TURNS TABLES ON DEM CRITICS AFTER MUSK ACCUSES SOCIAL SECURITY OF BEING ‘PONZI SCHEME’ The focus of her anger is a brief incident from earlier this month when a group of House conservatives held up a chamber-wide vote on unrelated legislation to press GOP leaders to kill Luna’s measure – known as a “discharge petition.” A discharge petition allows lawmakers to force a bill onto the House floor, despite objections from leadership, provided the mechanism gets signatures from a majority of the chamber. “Acting within the House conference rules – rules we all agreed to – I sought to bring a vote to the floor on a measure that would allow new mothers in Congress (fewer than 14 in our nation’s history) and fathers, if they choose, to vote by proxy,” Luna continued. “This was a modest, family-centered proposal. Yet, a small group among us threatened the Speaker, vowing to halt floor proceedings indefinitely – regardless of the legislation at stake, including President Trump’s agenda – unless he altered the rules to block my discharge petition.” She shared praise for House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., whose conduct she called “gentlemanly,” but added, “With a heavy heart, I am resigning from the Freedom Caucus.” “I cannot remain part of a caucus where a select few operate outside its guidelines, misuse its name, broker backroom deals that undermine its core values and where the lines of compromise and transaction are blurred, disparage me to the press, and encourage misrepresentation of me to the American people,” Luna wrote. She will be the first House Freedom Caucus member to leave the group, which does not advertise its membership, in the 119th Congress. The most recent departures before Luna include Reps. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, and Randy Weber, R-Texas, who were both pushed out, and Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, who left during the shakeup. APPEALS COURT RULES DOGE CAN CONTINUE OPERATING AT USAID IN ANOTHER WIN FOR TRUMP ADMINISTRATION Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he believed proxy voting was “unconstitutional” in remarks after House Republicans’ weekly closed-door meeting on Tuesday. “We addressed this in conference this morning. A couple of our, a handful of our colleagues, have gotten behind the effort, and, look, I’m a father. I’m pro-family,” the speaker said. “Here’s the problem. If you create a proxy vote opportunity just for young parents, mothers and, the fathers in those situations, then where is the limiting principle?” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, one of Luna’s now-former House Freedom Caucus colleagues, wrote on X of the issue, “Respectfully to my friend – this (unconstitutional) rule would ultimately NOT be limited to moms. Cancer patients, dads, & worst of all, people who lazily abuse it (eg, voting from boats). She leaves out her discharge allows no amendments! We should show up to work/vote.”
Supreme Court appears likely to side with Catholic Church and Trump in key religious exemption case
The Supreme Court appeared likely to side with a Wisconsin-based Catholic Charities group in its fight with the government over a state ruling it says “distorts” and “undermines” its mission of caring for the sick and poor. The Trump Justice Department has filed a brief in support of the charity, arguing exemptions in federal tax laws, like the Wisconsin tax law, protect the rights of religious institutions. The group, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Superior, Wisconsin, is appealing a ruling by the Wisconsin Supreme Court that found that because it does not conduct “typical” religious activity, it is not exempt from the state’s costly unemployment payment program. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that a Wisconsin law exempting religious nonprofits from the program does not apply to the charity group, because it is not “operated primarily for religious purposes” and serves and employs non-Catholics and does not attempt to convert individuals, they said. TRUMP MAKES ENDORSEMENT IN ‘IMPORTANT’ WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT RACE Catholic Charities, however, argues that helping the disabled, elderly and those living in poverty — regardless of their faith — is a core tenet of their religious practice. The group’s attorney, Eric Rassbach, with the religious liberty law firm Becket, argued during the hearing that Catholic teaching forbids Catholics from conditioning assistance on acceptance of the church’s teachings. “The Wisconsin Supreme Court got it wrong when it interpreted a state-law religious exemption to favor what it called ‘typical’ religious activity and when it held that helping the poor can’t be religious, because secular people help the poor too,” he said. The group is seeking to be exempt from the state’s unemployment compensation program so it can join the Wisconsin Catholic Church’s private program, which they say would save them more money than paying into the state program. POPE FRANCIS’ DOCTORS CONSIDERED ENDING TREATMENT, SAID ‘THERE WAS A REAL RISK HE MIGHT NOT MAKE IT’: REPORT In nearly two hours of often heated debate, a majority on the bench seemed to agree the state engaged in an unnecessary entanglement over defining whether Catholic Charities should be treated differently from other similarly situated secular groups. Attorneys for Wisconsin faced intense questioning from the justices about the state entangling itself in religious doctrine and practice, thus violating the First Amendment by denying a religious organization an otherwise available tax exemption because the organization does not meet the state’s criteria for religious behavior. “Isn’t it a fundamental premise of our First Amendment that the state shouldn’t be picking and choosing between religions,” questioned Justice Neil Gorsuch. “Doesn’t it entangle the state tremendously when it has to go into a soup kitchen, send an inspector in, to see how much prayer is going on?” he asked. JUSTICE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON RAISES EYEBROWS WITH COMMENT THAT FIRST AMENDMENT ‘HAMSTRINGS’ GOVERNMENT Even some of the court’s liberal justices seemed to have concerns with Wisconsin’s ruling. “There are lots of hard questions in this area,” said Justice Elena Kagan. “But I thought it was pretty fundamental that we don’t treat some religions better than other religions and we certainly don’t do it based on the contents of the religious doctrine that those religions preach.” “The reason why we’re so worried about entanglement is because it gets us enmeshed in the content of religious doctrine,” she said. Justice Amy Coney Barrett commented during the hearing that “the problem here is how to figure out what the line is.” Alan Rock, executive director of the Catholic Charities Bureau, told Fox News Digital that following the hearing, he is “confident the Supreme Court will ensure our freedom to serve all those in need according to our Catholic faith.” EXCLUSIVE: GROUNDBREAKING NEW PRAYER BOOK DESIGNED FOR DEMOGRAPHIC MOST TARGETED FOR ABORTION “The state of Wisconsin said that our work isn’t religious. The state denied that our care for those in need is driven by our faith, simply because we serve everyone and do not try to convert those we serve. That view distorts the heart of our mission and undermines our ability to care for the most vulnerable,” he said, adding, “We look forward to the Court’s ruling.” Speaking with Fox News Digital after the hearing, Bishop James Powers, head of the Catholic Diocese of Superior, said that Wisconsin is “punishing Catholic Charities for following this example of Christian love.” “We do not help the needy because they are Catholic — we help them because we are Catholic,” he said. “The Good Samaritan did not ask about the wounded man’s faith: He simply saw a neighbor in need and responded with mercy. That is the model Catholic Charities has embraced since its founding.”
Red state moves to defund county after leader vows to ‘interfere and interrupt’ ICE deportations
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is suing to defund an entire county after its leading law enforcement authority vowed to “make every effort to block, interfere and interrupt” deportation operations based on ICE detainers, which he called unconstitutional. This comes amid the Trump administration’s concerted whole-of-government approach to cracking down on illegal immigration and migrant crime in the United States. Bird, a Republican, argues that the sheriff’s self-proclaimed “longtime” stance of interrupting immigration enforcement operations based on detainers “impeded and discouraged cooperation with federal immigration authorities in violation of Iowa law.” A detainer is a formal request by ICE to other law enforcement authorities to hold an individual the agency has good reason to believe is an illegal alien who poses a threat to the well-being and safety of the community. ICE officials have said that by refusing to honor detainers, law enforcement agencies put their communities at risk by allowing potentially dangerous illegals back onto the streets. BLUE STATE SANCTUARY LAWS ENABLED ILLEGAL ‘ABOLISH ICE’ ACTIVIST TO EVADE CAPTURE, SAYS LOCAL DA Despite this, Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx pledged not to cooperate with ICE detainers in a Feb. 4 Facebook post in which he asserted that a detainer is “simply an unconstitutional *request* from ICE.” In the now-deleted post, Marx encouraged people to contact his office if they encounter “any federal agents” and said he and his staff are “always willing to assist with verifying credentials and the legitimacy of any paperwork federal agents should have to make certain your rights are not being abused.” “If the fed’s actions and paperwork are within constitutional parameters (such as proper and valid judicial warrants/court orders) we will assist if needed or requested to ensure their actions are carried out professionally and in the least intrusive fashion possible,” he said. “If their actions or paperwork are not within constitutional parameters,” he went on, “then we will make every effort to block, interfere and interrupt their actions from moving forward.” BLUE STATE LEADER SOUNDS ALARM ABOUT ‘PERFECT STORM’ OF DEM IMMIGRATION POLICIES DECIMATING PUBLIC SAFETY Actions the sheriff claimed are not within constitutional parameters include what he called “non-judicially vetted ‘detainers,’” which he claimed “are simply an unconstitutional *request* from ICE or other three letter federal agency to arrest or hold someone.” Marx claimed that “the only reason detainers are issued is because the federal agency does not have enough information or has not taken the time to obtain a valid judicial warrant.” “Simply put, they are not sure they are detaining the right person and need more time to figure it out,” he claimed, adding, “these detainers are violations of our 4th Amendment protection against warrantless search, seizure and arrest, and our 6th Amendment right to due process.” Marx concluded the long post by saying his “long-time stance on not recognizing detainers” and involvement with immigration enforcement will be based on “constitutional standards … not opinions, politics or emotions.” HOMAN BLASTS BLUE STATE AS REPORT SHOWS IT RELEASING ILLEGALS CHARGED WITH ‘HORRIFIC’ CRIMES ON LOW BAILS In response, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, filed an official complaint with the attorney general about the sheriff violating a state law mandating law enforcement cooperate with federal immigration authorities. This prompted an investigation in which Bird found that, despite his defiant rhetoric, Marx’s office had complied with “every single ICE detainer request” since 2018. The attorney general gave Marx a deadline last week to amend his statements to comply with state law. When he refused to issue a correction, Bird launched a lawsuit to pull all state funding to Winneshiek County until the sheriff agrees to comply with state law regarding cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Bird argues that Marx’s post, which she said was “rife with legal and factual errors that discouraged enforcing immigration laws,” violated chapter 27A of the Iowa state legal code. The lawsuit, which was filed in the Polk County District Court, cites section 27A.4 of the Iowa legal code, which states that a county “shall be ineligible to receive any state funds if the local entity intentionally violates this chapter.” DEMOCRAT MAYOR BLASTED FOR VOWING TO MAKE MAJOR CITY ‘SAFE HAVEN’ FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS Commenting on her suit, Bird said that “sanctuary counties are illegal under Iowa law.” “Sheriff Marx was given the chance to retract his statement, follow the law, and honor ICE detainers, but he refused—even at a cost to his home county,” she said. “He left us with no choice but to take the case to court to enforce our laws and ensure cooperation with federal immigration authorities.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE A representative for the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office declined Fox News Digital’s request for comment, saying the sheriff and office “are unable to provide any comments at this time due to the pending litigation.” The Winnishiek County Auditor, Benjamin D. Steines would not disclose how much money the county stands to lose, citing the same litigation. “Iowa is not a sanctuary for illegal immigration. Anyone who threatens to ‘block, interfere and interrupt’ with immigration enforcement, as this sheriff did, will be held accountable,” Bird told Fox News Digital. REPUBLICAN STATE AGS BACK TRUMP BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER IN COURT FILING: ‘TAXPAYERS ARE ON THE HOOK’ She noted that her office “gave the Sheriff an opportunity to fix his state-law violation and cooperate with immigration enforcement, but he refused—knowing that it would cost his home community. All he has to do to end this is fix the problem and follow the law.” “Years of a Biden-Harris border invasion takes a serious toll—even on Iowa, and we’re a long way away from the border,” she went on. “Thankfully, President Trump hit the ground running to secure the border, crack down on drug trafficking, and reduce crime. And as Iowa’s Attorney General, I will keep fighting to ensure our state cooperates with federal immigration authorities to keep our communities safe.”
Musk shares ‘mind blowing’ chart showing millions of ‘noncitizens’ given Social Security numbers under Biden
Elon Musk shared a chart during a get-out-the-vote rally in Wisconsin over the weekend, which he claimed showed millions of noncitizens received Social Security numbers during former President Joe Biden’s tenure. The event came just a day-and-a-half before polls opened in a contentious state judicial race. The Sunday town hall garnered a lot of attention Monday over Musk’s move to hand out $1 million checks to two Wisconsin voters who signed a petition calling for an end to “activist judges,” after the state’s Supreme Court declined to take up a challenge arguing the sweepstakes was unlawful. After handing out the money, Musk brought friend and DOGE colleague Antonio Gracias on stage to discuss the work he has done with the federal government’s Social Security system. Shortly after Gracias joined Musk, a large graphic that read, “New Non-Citizen Social Security Numbers Issued,” was illuminated on the screen behind them. EXPERT TURNS TABLES ON DEM CRITICS AFTER MUSK ACCUSES SOCIAL SECURITY OF BEING ‘PONZI SCHEME’ “We started at the top of the system, mapping the whole system of Social Security to understand where all the fraud was,” Gracias said, before turning his attention to the chart behind him. “But, this is what jumped out at us,” he continued. “When we saw these numbers, we were like, ‘What is this?’” Gracias was referring to the total number of noncitizens who received Social Security numbers between FY 2021 and FY 2025. The chart showed a steady year-over-year increase under Biden, reaching more than 2 million in FY 2024, which ended on Sept. 30. FY23 saw roughly 1 million noncitizens issued Social Security numbers, as did FY25, which began in October and will end in September of this year. “This literally blew us away,” Gracias said. “We went there to find fraud and we found this by accident.” APPEALS COURT RULES DOGE CAN CONTINUE OPERATING AT USAID IN ANOTHER WIN FOR TRUMP ADMINISTRATION “This is a mind-blowing chart,” Musk added. The eyebrow-raising numbers come amid Musk and DOGE’s ongoing probe into various federal programs and agencies, including the Social Security Administration (SSA). Last week, DOGE said it had removed approximately 7 million Social Security accounts belonging to people listed as being over 120 years old. DOGE has also found through its audits that the Social Security database included 20 million dead people marked as alive, Musk said at the Wisconsin town hall Sunday. Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing all public assistance and social services in the U.S. to stop providing access to noncitizens, stating such services are intended for U.S. citizens. In line with the president’s directive, the Department of Housing and Urban Development launched a new initiative last week with the Department of Homeland Security that seeks to bolster inter-agency communication between the two departments to ensure noncitizens are not benefiting from public housing programs.