Trump White House readies school choice tax credit as some Dem states push back. Here’s where it stands
FIRST ON FOX: The White House unveiled a new website page and map of the U.S. showing which states have not opted into a federal school choice tax credit set to begin in 2027 — singling out a handful of Democrat governors labeled “failures” for resisting the new program. “President Trump is lowering the cost of education for American families, but children in your state will not benefit unless your governor takes action,” the new website states. “Thanks to the Working Families Tax Cut Act, parents choosing the private, charter, or public school that best meets the needs of their child will soon have financial help.” The Trump administration is pushing states to “opt in” to a new federal K-12 scholarship tax credit created under the “big, beautiful bill,” warning families could miss out if their governors don’t take action. The Department of Education celebrated Monday that 23 states have so far opted in to a program the department called the “largest national expansion of education freedom in history and provides families with more affordable education options.” HOUSTON SCHOOL DISTRICT TRYING TO WOO PARENTS WHILE LOSING STUDENTS AMID SCHOOL CHOICE COMPETITION Under the Education Freedom Tax Credit, taxpayers can get up to $1,700 back as a federal tax credit by donating that money to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) instead of sending it to Washington in income taxes. Those SGOs then turn the donations into K-12 scholarships and other education help families can use for a broad range of costs tied to public, private or charter schools. “Beginning January 1, 2027, Americans can reduce their tax burden by contributing to an approved Scholarship Granting Organization,” the new website explains. “While anyone in America can take advantage of this tax credit next year, families cannot receive a scholarship if their governor blocks their state’s participation. Your voice is critical to ensure governors know about their responsibility to ensure that every family has affordable access to the best education for their child’s individual needs.” Among the governors highlighted on the page as resisting include: Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers. “Urge Your Governor to Opt-In to Your Child’s Future,” the new website continues, before listing a handful of Democratic state leaders branded with the label “failure.” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis became the first Democrat to opt into the program in December 2025, telling local media he “would be crazy not to” while citing that “it’ll empower more parents to be able to afford that after-school program or the summer program that they want for their kid.” Democrats have often resisted school-choice expansions, arguing they can siphon money from public schools and weaken accountability — concerns amplified by teachers unions and some education advocates. MAJOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS LOSING STUDENTS AS PARENTS SEEK BETTER OPTIONS The new website page also includes a map of the U.S. showing which 23 states have opted-in and which 27 have not. It was released amid National School Choice Week, which runs from Jan. 25 through Jan. 31. The Education Department said, as part of its celebrations for the week, that it’s making an aggressive school-choice push in Trump’s second term — including touting a record $500 million charter school investment, backing the Education Freedom Tax Credit, and nudging states to use federal funds and waivers to expand parent options and turn around low-performing schools. TRUMP ADMIN CUTS RED TAPE AS IOWA JOINS EFFORT TO RETURN EDUCATION TO STATES Trump has framed school choice and parental rights as a central priority of his second-term education agenda, which has worked to decentralize the federal government’s control of public education and shift power back to the states and parents. “I want every parent in America to be empowered to send their child to public, private, charter, or faith-based school of their choice,” Trump said in 2025. “The time for universal school choice has come. As we return education to the states, I will use every power I have to give parents this right.”
Ilhan Omar backed by House Republicans after Minnesota town hall attack
House Republicans are coalescing around progressive “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., after she was attacked during a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. “This is totally unacceptable. I am glad Rep. Omar is okay,” Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., wrote on X in response to a video of the incident. It’s a rare show of bipartisanship in the face of political violence that has become common in recent years amid increasingly volatile rhetoric on both sides. Support for Omar came from both conservative and moderate Republicans after a man appeared to confront her and spray a substance on her before he was quickly subdued at her public event. REP MAXWELL FROST ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED AT SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL IN RACIALLY-CHARGED INCIDENT “Political, religious, and ideological differences never justify violence,” Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, wrote of the attack. “Those who resort to violence to make a political point should understand that such actions only undermine the very rights that form the foundation of our Republic.” Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., noted that political violence against members of Congress had been escalating for some time. “The assault on Congresswoman Omar is disturbing and unacceptable, and the attacker must be prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law,” he said in his own statement. “This attack is the latest of thousands of acts and threats of violence directed against Congress over the past year, resulting in a 57% increase just since 2024.” GUNFIRE, ARSON AND VANDALISM: TRACKING POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN AMERICA Moderate Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., similarly said Wednesday morning, “I condemn the attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar that occurred yesterday.” “We always have the right to free speech and to petition the government, but political violence must be dealt with sternly. The criminal here needs to spend some time behind bars,” Bacon said. And Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., noted she “deeply disagreed” with Omar but said she was “deeply disturbed” by the attack. “No elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are,” Mace said. It comes in addition to a slew of Democrats condemning the incident, though several immediately sought to blame President Donald Trump and the GOP for previously criticizing the progressive Minnesota lawmaker. “Trump’s hateful, dangerous rhetoric fuels this kind of political violence, and we must all reject it,” said Rep. Rob Menendez, D-N.J. And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., wrote on X, “It is not a coincidence that after days of President Trump and [Vice President] Vance putting Rep. Omar in their crosshairs with slanderous public attacks, she gets assaulted at her town hall.” The attack occurred minutes after Omar’s town hall began, and despite being urged to wrap up the event, she continued until the end. Her office released a statement afterward, “During her town hall, an agitator tried to attack the Congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe. Security and the Minneapolis Police Department quickly apprehended the individual. He is now in custody. The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win.” The suspect who attacked her was arrested and charged with third-degree assault.
Privacy concerns, discrimination, doctor pushback: the compliance traps looming behind sex-separated sports
Amid the headlines about transgender athletes participating in women’s sports and whether athletics should be separated by biological gender, there is a hidden battle brewing behind the scenes that could interrupt efforts to maintain biological differences in sports. School districts and athletic institutions have already faced hurdles regarding how to verify biological sex. While much of the focus has been on overturning the Biden administration’s Title IX definition of sex interpretation, once that happens, liberal school districts or leaders hoping to keep athletic eligibility by gender identity can dig their heels in with legal arguments about privacy, questions about verification mechanics, claims of discrimination, and, in some cases, doctors have refused to verify gender for the sake of athletic eligibility arguing the scope of the duties went beyond their purview. “I anticipate we are going to see this more in the future,” Title IX attorney and expert Sarah Perry told Fox News Digital. Meanwhile, John Bursch, from the Christian legal foundation Alliance Defending Freedom, told Fox News Digital that the looming concern over sex-verification for sports is “overblown.” TRUMP CALLS OUT SUPREME COURT JUSTICES AFTER TRANS ATHLETE HEARING: ‘SHOULD LOSE A LOT OF CREDIBILITY’ “Trans activists continually bring up made-up concerns like this so that they can continue justifying allowing males in girls’ and women’s sports,” Bursch said. As Bursch noted, the conundrum has reared its head recently in a handful of the 27 states that have imposed sex-separated athletics mandates. In Idaho, one of the earliest states to adopt a sex-separation sports mandate, the courts struck down a law requiring athletes to verify their gender if questioned by someone else, arguing it targets women for invasive and intrusive medical procedures that males would not be subject to. A similar issue in Florida played out in 2024 after a parent was investigated by county officials for allegedly sneaking their transgender child onto a female sports team. Even though the state’s law does not have a sex dispute provision for individuals, school district enforcement investigations still can. In that case, the courts argued that Florida’s law requiring verification was not discriminatory, however. The case was eventually dismissed. Meanwhile, pressure on the Sunshine State’s high school athletic association has also led to it removing questions from its physical evaluation forms that had been there for decades, according to local reporting. TRUMP DECLARES ‘WE GOT MEN OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS’ AS SUPREME COURT DELIBERATES LANDMARK CASES In Arizona, a dispute over the legitimacy of a birth certificate has led a school to suggest expensive chromosome testing to verify their gender. The mother told a local Arizona news outlet that it was a misprint they didn’t notice until registering their son for school, noting that for a busy mom, it was not her top priority. Her son was physically removed from the middle of his high school basketball tryouts. The family ultimately got an amended birth certificate and a doctor’s sign-off clarifying the legal change and the boy’s eligibility to play on the boy’s basketball team. But school officials stood firm and ruled he was still ineligible to play. The family was told they could undergo chromosomal testing that would cost thousands of dollars. Doctors were less willing to be helpful in Nevada, where the state’s interscholastic athletics association began requiring physicians to identify and sign-off on an athlete’s gender. A group of doctors subsequently argued that the information they were being asked to provide went beyond “the purpose of a sports medical clearance” and should come from “the students or families directly.” “Additionally, it is imperative that patients are able to consult with their physicians confidentially to address all aspects of their physical, emotional, sexual, and mental health,” a letter the group of 18 doctors sent to the Nevada state high school athletic association added. “This confidentiality is crucial to ensure that students feel safe and supported in discussing sensitive health issues without concern that this information will be s hared with non-medical institutions or individuals. Breaching this confidentiality could undermine the trust between patients and their healthcare providers ultimately impacting the quality of care they receive.” But, despite the potential tripwires, both Perry and Bursch pointed to the Constitution’s supremacy clause barring any change in the Biden-era Title IX interpretation which still remains amid various ongoing legal battles. Perry also noted that there is no requirement forcing school districts or education institutions to take federal dollars, but said that once they do “it is very clear that representations of contrary legal obligation are not sufficient to violate federal civil rights law.” The Supreme Court heard oral arguments earlier this month that analysts have suggested show that the court is open to upholding state-level mandates requiring athletic eligibility be determined by biological sex. “We are going to see these questions ultimately, I believe, in the end, reach the Supreme Court before the Trump administration’s last day,” Perry said. “These are questions about preemption, about the Supremacy Clause, about the operation of states’ rights versus federal civil rights obligations, and they’re going to take a while to litigate.” Perry pointed to deadlocks in Maine and California where trans-rights advocates are standing behind state law in order to defend allowing sports to remain separated by gender identity and not biological sex.
Trump warns Minneapolis mayor he’s ‘playing with fire’ after immigration enforcement conversation
President Donald Trump asserted that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey “is PLAYING WITH FIRE,” issuing the warning in a Truth Social post on Wednesday morning. “Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, ‘Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws.’ This is after having had a very good conversation with him,” the president said in the post. “Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!” Trump warned. ‘MOB MENTALITY’ ENDANGERS OFFICERS AMID ANTI-ICE UNREST AND CHAOS IN MINNEAPOLIS, RETIRED COPS WARN Frey responded to the president’s comments. “The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws. I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to MPLS & is from Ecuador. It’s similar to the policy your guy Rudy had in NYC. Everyone should feel safe calling 911,” the mayor asserted in a post on X, making an apparent reference to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The president issued the warning on Wednesday after Frey, who met with Trump’s border czar Tom Homan on Tuesday, declared in a Tuesday post on X that the city will not enforce federal immigration law. “Today, Chief O’Hara and I met with Border Czar Homan and had a productive conversation. I reiterated that my main ask is for Operation Metro Surge to end as quickly as possible. Public safety works best when it’s built on community trust, not tactics that create fear or division,” Frey noted in a Tuesday post on X. BORDER CZAR HOMAN MEETS WITH MINNESOTA OFFICIALS FOLLOWING IMMIGRATION OPERATION TENSIONS “I shared with Mr. Homan the serious negative impacts this operation has had on Minneapolis and surrounding communities, as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers,” Frey added in another post. “I also made it clear that Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws, and that we will remain focused on keeping our neighbors and streets safe. City leaders will continue to stay in conversation with Mr. Homan and his team,” he noted in another post. TRUMP HAS ‘VERY GOOD’ CALL WITH MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR FREY, ANNOUNCES BORDER CZAR HOMAN MEETING U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot by federal authorities in Minneapolis this month amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigrants.
Anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ protest organizers target Minneapolis-St Paul for next flagship demonstration
A group that organized two nationwide “No Kings” protests last year is planning its next large-scale national demonstration on March 28, with a particular focus on Minnesota, which has emerged as ground zero for anti-immigration enforcement demonstrations over the last few months. The anti-Trump protest is being organized by Indivisible, a liberal grassroots group, that said demonstrations are expected across the country that day. The group said the upcoming event — referred to as “No Kings 3” — will include coordinated protests nationwide, with a flagship march planned in the Twin Cities. ANTI-ICE AGITATORS ARRESTED OUTSIDE MINNESOTA HOTEL AS POLICE DECLARE UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY: ‘NO LONGER PEACEFUL’ “We expect this to be the largest protest in American history,” Ezra Levin, co-executive director of the nonprofit Indivisible, told The Associated Press ahead of Wednesday’s announcement. He predicted that as many as 9 million people could turn out. “This is in large part a response to a combination of the heinous attacks on our democracy and communities coming from the regime, and a sense that nobody’s coming to save us,” Levin said. Minnesota has emerged as a flash point in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown following the deployment of roughly 3,000 federal agents to the state, which organizers described as the largest single immigration enforcement operation of the president’s second term. Organizers said plans for the spring demonstrations were already underway before recent immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota, but the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good during encounters with federal agents in recent weeks reshaped the event’s focus. MINNESOTA SHAKEUP SHIFTS LEADERSHIP NOT STRATEGY, WHITE HOUSE SAYS, PUSHING BACK ON ‘RETREAT’ CLAIM The protests have been a focal point for outrage over what organizers describe as President Donald Trump’s attempts to consolidate and expand his power. Last year’s protests unfolded in two nationwide rounds. Organizers said more than 7 million people demonstrated during a second round on Oct. 18, with protests held in about 2,700 cities and towns across all 50 states. The first major “No Kings” protests took place on June 14, 2025, with demonstrations organized in nearly 2,000 locations nationwide, following unrest tied to federal immigration raids and the deployment of National Guard and Marine units to Los Angeles. Levin said Indivisible and allied groups plan to continue organizing beyond major protest days, including nationwide training sessions aimed at monitoring immigration enforcement activity. “This isn’t about Democrats versus Republicans,” Levin said. “This is about whether we have a democracy at all.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump pressures Iran to ‘come to the table’ as ‘massive’ US armada draws near
President Donald Trump urged Iran to “come to the table” as the U.S. deploys a “massive armada” to the region on Wednesday. Trump confirmed that the USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group are deploying as a direct threat to the Iranian regime. The president said a major attack may be necessary of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime does not make a deal with the U.S. “A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again,” he added. SECRET SERVICE AWARE AFTER IRANIAN STATE TV AIRS TRUMP THREAT FEATURING PHOTO OF BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT Iran’s mission to the United Nations responded to Trump’s post within hours, vowing to defend itself. “Last time the U.S. blundered into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it squandered over $7 trillion and lost more than 7,000 American lives. Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests—BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!” the statement read. Trump said earlier this week that Tehran appears willing to negotiate amid the U.S. military buildup. In a Monday interview with Axios, Trump suggested that Tehran had reached out on “numerous occasions” and “want[s] to make a deal.” “They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk,” the president told the outlet. ISRAELI UN AMBASSADOR SENDS STARK WARNING TO IRAN AMID GROWING UNREST According to U.S. officials, also cited by Axios, any potential agreement would need Tehran to remove all enriched uranium, cap its long-range missile stockpile, a change in support for regional proxy forces, and cease independent uranium enrichment, terms Iranian leaders have not agreed to. The Abraham Lincoln entered CENTCOM waters on Monday The U.S. military buildup comes amid widespread unrest inside Iran following protests that began Dec. 28. According to a recent report from Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the confirmed death toll from the protests has reached 5,848, with an additional 17,091 deaths under investigation. Khamenei has been sheltering in a fortified underground facility, according to Iran International. This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
Top Dem fundraiser slammed for honoring Nazi officer in social media post: ‘Disturbing trend’
A top Democratic fundraiser in Michigan is taking heat for a Veteran’s Day social media post in which she honored her grandfather, who served as an officer in the Nazi military forces during World War II. Kelly Neumann, a fundraising host for Michigan Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson and senatorial candidate Mallory McMorrow, honored her grandfather, Albert Neumann, a WWII German military officer whom she called “one of my best friends.” In a 2024 Veterans Day post on Facebook that features pictures of a man wearing a Nazi uniform, Neumann praised her grandfather, writing, “His story is a true testament that people can change and love can indeed win.” The post appears to have been removed from Neumann’s account following Fox News Digital’s request for comment. EXPERT WARNS DEMOCRATS RISK BACKLASH OVER FAILURE TO CONDEMN VIOLENT RHETORIC IN THEIR RANKS Neumann wrote in the post, “Happy Veterans Day to all my friends and family who serve/served! Without you, America would not be here today.” “I do not talk much about [him] much but my Grandfather, Albert Neumann was on the German side in WWI and WWII,” she went on. “He escaped to Brazil with my Father after Germany lost in WWII and then made their way to Detroit where they spoke no English and worked their way to provide a stable life for their family.” “My grandfather was one of my best friends,” she wrote. “He was one of the first people in my life that accepted me as gay when I was nervous and scared.” “I’ll never forget him embracing me and loving me for who I am,” Neumann continued, concluding, “His story is a true testament that people can change and love can indeed win.” The post sparked outrage online after resurfacing. Los Angeles rabbi and author David Wolpe commented, “This is so outrageous I had to double check it wasn’t a hoax.” Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Aric Nesbitt wrote, “I guess escaping justice for war crimes, death camps, genocide, and Nazi salutes is okay as long as you’re a far left extremist in the end.” “Michigan wants off this ride,” Nesbitt added. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., reacted, “When Democrats tell you who they are, believe them.” “Unsurprisingly, the party that falsely smears Republicans as ‘Nazis’ HONORS ACTUAL NAZIS,” wrote McClain. “That tells you everything about the state of the Democrat party today.” ARIZONA DEM TEARS INTO HER OWN PARTY OVER TREND THAT SHE DEEMS ANTISEMITIC: ‘SICK AND TIRED’ Neumann, Benson and McMorrow did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Benson currently serves as Michigan secretary of state, and McMorrow is a state senator running for the U.S. Senate. In addition to being a fundraiser, Neumann has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Michigan Democrats, including Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Debbie Stabenow. Though she did not address Neumann’s Nazi Facebook post, McMorrow posted on X on Tuesday that “on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, 81 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on January 27, 1945, we remember the six million Jews and countless others killed by the Nazis.” “The Holocaust attempted to exterminate an entire people – their lives, culture, families – by perpetuating a cycle of hatred, antisemitism, dehumanization and lies,” wrote McMorrow. “Today we recommit to fighting against antisemitism and hate in all its forms so these horrors may never happen again.” Last October, both Benson and McMorrow were criticized for headlining a “unity dinner” event that featured equating supporters of President Donald Trump with Nazis. The sign, displayed by local Democrats, said “MAGA=NAZI” and “86 47.” The number “86” originated in restaurants to mean “cancel” or “throw out,” but in underworld slang, it is frequently used as a call sign for murdering someone. The number “47” is commonly interpreted as denoting the 47th president of the United States, Trump. TRUMP ADMIN MARKS INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY HONORING MILLIONS MURDERED BY NAZI REGIME McMorrow, who is running in the crowded Democratic Senate primary, also ignited social media backlash last year when she shared a violent fantasy about conservative Supreme Court justices. McMorrow was asked by an attendee at a Huron Valley Indivisible event on Nov. 12 whether there “was any sense in dealing with the Supreme Court.” The state senator answered, “So, I’m a Notre Dame grad, and Amy Coney Barrett coming out of my university makes me furious. Just on a personal level.” She went on, “I talked to somebody yesterday who said they saw her and Brett Kavanaugh at a tailgate last weekend,” saying, “I would not have been able to control myself. That would be bad. There would be beers thrown in peoples’ faces.” In a statement to Fox News Digital, Senate Leadership Fund spokesperson Chris Gustafson drew a line between the Facebook post and Maine Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner. Platner, a progressive Democrat, stirred up his own controversy last year when it was discovered that he had a tattoo resembling the Nazi SS “Totenkopf” symbol. Platner has since had the tattoo covered over. “From Mallory McMorrow in Michigan to Graham Platner in Maine, the Democrat Party’s fondness for Nazi regalia is a sad and disturbing trend,” said Gustafson, adding, “The fact McMorrow is still silent is telling.”
House launches investigation into hospitals allegedly letting foreign patients jump organ transplant lines
House lawmakers are launching a congressional investigation into two major hospital systems amid allegations they allowed wealthy foreign patients to bypass U.S. organ transplant waiting lists, as more than 100,000 Americans remain on those lists and thousands die each year waiting for life-saving organs. Reps. Jason Smith, R-Mo., and David Schweikert, R-Ariz., who lead the House Ways and Means Committee’s oversight effort, sent letters Tuesday to the University of Chicago Medical Center and Montefiore Medical Center in New York demanding records by Feb. 10 and warning they will issue subpoenas if the hospitals fail to comply. The allegations, first reported by the New York Times, claim the tax-exempt hospitals transplanted organs procured from American donors into foreign nationals who traveled to the U.S. specifically to receive transplants, effectively jumping ahead of U.S. patients. Smith and Schweikert said the alleged conduct likely bypassed Americans on transplant waiting lists, potentially resulting in loss of life. Smith said the allegations strike at the core of what tax-exempt hospitals are supposed to represent and could trigger a broader review of whether those benefits should continue. BIDEN-ERA REGULATION ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK AS TRUMP-ALIGNED LEGAL GROUP WARNS OF ‘DEI LENS’ “If U.S. hospitals who enjoy lucrative taxpayer-funded benefits have prioritized foreign nationals for organ transplants over saving American lives, they should have their tax-exempt status terminated,” Smith said. “America First means prioritizing American lives, not your bottom line. The Ways and Means Committee will leave no stone unturned and is prepared to utilize every tool at our disposal, including subpoenas, in pursuit of the truth.” In the letter to University of Chicago Medical Center President Thomas Jackiewicz, lawmakers said they were particularly alarmed by the hospital’s transplant numbers. Foreign patients made up about 11% of the hospital’s heart and lung transplants, with 61 international patients receiving organs between 2020 and 2024 — more than at any other hospital in the U.S. Lawmakers also cited cases in which foreign patients allegedly received organs within days, while American patients waited far longer. ORGAN DONORS’ LIVES ENDANGERED BY RUSHED TRANSPLANT PROCEDURES, INVESTIGATION FINDS One case involved a wealthy Japanese woman who reportedly received a heart transplant just three days after being placed on the waiting list after an exception raised her priority. The patient was a self-pay international recipient, and a charity founded by her husband later donated money to a nonprofit linked to the transplant surgeon’s family, raising concerns about a possible quid pro quo. “The case raised alarms among transplant experts and has drawn scrutiny because it suggests that wealth, connections, and post-transplant charitable giving may have intersected with access to a scarce organ,” the letter said. Lawmakers also questioned whether the hospital violated its obligations as a tax-exempt institution by allegedly entering into contracts with foreign governments for transplant services. HUNDREDS OF MUTILATED BODIES FOUND IN SUSPECTED NIGERIAN ORGAN-HARVESTING RING “Contracting with a foreign government to provide these crucial services to foreign nationals over American citizens raises serious questions as to the nature of the community benefit that you are providing in order to maintain your tax-exempt status,” the letter continued. A separate letter sent to Montefiore Medical Center President and CEO Philip O. Ozuah detailed similar concerns. Lawmakers cited reporting that 20% of lung transplant recipients at Montefiore were overseas patients, generating tens of millions of dollars in revenue for the hospital. The letter alleges Montefiore advertised transplant services abroad by highlighting short wait times and concierge care, while whistleblowers claimed international patients were given preferential treatment, including altering or omitting medical records to speed up access to organs. PATIENT DIES FROM RABIES AFTER ORGAN TRANSPLANT FROM INFECTED DONOR The lawmakers said a former transplant financial coordinator told The New York Times that American patients were pushed aside, saying, “[W]e had patients who we’d been working with, who had been waiting their turn, and then someone from Kuwait would come and jump the line.” Smith and Schweikert noted that more than 100,000 Americans are currently waiting for an organ transplant and that approximately 5,600 die each year while on the waiting list. “Montefiore’s decision to provide foreign nationals with this critical service — and preferential treatment over American citizens — in return for massive payments far exceeding the market rate is completely inappropriate,” the letter said. The document demands come amid an ongoing congressional investigation into the U.S. organ transplant system. Schweikert said the investigation has already produced results, including the Trumpadministration’s decision to decertify a Miami organ procurement organization. He said testimony at a December hearing revealed “shocking stories of organ donations gone terribly wrong” and highlighted the need for more transparency in the transplant system.
Ilhan Omar hit with unknown spray and other highlights from chaotic Minneapolis town hall
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., held a town hall Tuesday evening in her home district amid recent shootings involving federal immigration agents and local agitators in Minneapolis. The event started out mostly uneventful until someone attacked the congresswoman with some sort of chemical spray that had a foul odor, according to those close by. Those nearby Omar wanted her to leave, but Omar refused and continued on. “Please don’t let them have the show,” Omar could be heard saying after she was hit with the foul-smelling spray. “We will continue! These f—-ing a–holes are not going to get away with this.” “Here is the reality that people like this ugly man don’t understand,” Omar said as she returned to the microphone. “We are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.” NEW DETAILS TO CONGRESS REVEAL GUNS USED, BODYCAM FOOTAGE IN FATAL BORDER PATROL SHOOTING OF MINNESOTA NURSE Omar and her fellow far-left Democrats spent a lot of time slamming federal immigration efforts and the Trump administration. Omar called for the impeachment or resignation of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem directly before she was attacked with the foul-smelling spray towards the beginning of her address. “Everybody, everybody settle down. I’m going to finish my remarks,” Omar said following the attack. “It is important for me to continue to lead my Democratic colleagues in demanding [Noem’s] resignation.” At other points, Omar referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a “rogue agency” which “escalates violence.” “ICE is shooting people in broad daylight, beating up teenagers, spraying tear gas on peaceful, peaceful protesters, ripping people out of their cars and homes without warrants, racially profiling people based on their accent, taking kids from schools and abducting people, shipping them far away detention camps with brutal conditions and no due process,” Omar told the crowd of people at her town hall event. “We cannot treat this as business as usual.” She then accused ICE agents of having committed murder. “Murder … it’s not something that has a statute of limitation. And so, regardless of what these people think, we’re going to make sure that they are held accountable in every way that we can,” she said, while noting, “Obviously, there are investigations, even if the federal government has chosen not to fully comply, in having a transparent investigation.” TRUMP TO CONTINUE MINNESOTA OPERATIONS, PRAISES DHS SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM AMID FATAL SHOOTINGS However, despite Omar’s tense rhetoric towards federal immigration officials, she did list at least one thing ICE has done well – albeit somewhat sarcastically. “One thing that ICE has succeeded in doing is making Minneapolis residents love Minneapolis police,” Omar quipped after a woman in the crowd asked what Minneapolis residents can do to help their police department. “That’s the only thing they’ve succeeded at doing.” Omar also called on her Republican colleagues in Congress Tuesday night to “grow a backbone” and pass Congress’s war powers resolution. She discussed what she knew about ICE officials potentially leaving Minneapolis, noting she saw reporting that 800 had already left. And the congresswoman also discussed how local police are supposed to adhere to federal immigration detainers, describing the process as akin to “basically turn[ing] them over in the parking lot.” TRAVELERS TOLD TO AVOID MINNEAPOLIS DUE TO ‘VIOLENT CLASHES’ WITH IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES Meanwhile, Omar also likened federal immigration operations to the atrocities many asylum seekers are trying to get away from. “People talk a lot about illegal immigration and criminals, but what this enforcement has truly done is frighten actual citizens and documented neighbors. The children that are afraid to go to schools, the mothers and fathers that are afraid to drop them off, the elderly shop owners, they’re all citizens, but they don’t want the trauma of seeing men with heavy machine guns, because that is what they escaped to come to the United States,” Omar said before concluding her Tuesday evening town hall. “They don’t want to go through a checkpoint, because that is what they escaped to come to the United States. They don’t want a gun drawn on them asking for their identification, because that’s what they escaped to come to the United States.”
Rubio scheduled to appear before Senate to outline Trump’s Venezuela policy
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will publicly testify on the Trump administration’s policy in Venezuela Wednesday morning after vowing to lawmakers that no more military action was expected in the region. Rubio’s return to the Hill, an increasingly frequent occurrence in recent months, comes after he, President Donald Trump, administration officials and Senate Republican leadership successfully killed a bipartisan push to rein in the president’s war authorities in Venezuela. His scheduled appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday at 10 a.m. comes just weeks after he helped to convince two lawmakers, Sens. Todd Young, R-Ind., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., to flip their votes and back the administration. SECRETARY RUBIO SCHEDULED TO FACE FORMER COLLEAGUES ON VENEZUELA POLICY Both were concerned about boots on the ground in Venezuela and Congress’ constitutional authority to weigh in on the matter. They were convinced by Rubio and the administration that no further military action would take place, and that if it were, President Donald Trump would come to Congress first. Young said at the time that the effort, spurred by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., was ultimately just a messaging exercise that never would have survived in the House, nor evaded a veto from Trump. “I had to accept that this was all a communications exercise,” Young said. “I think we [used] this moment to shine a bright light on Congress’ shortcomings as it relates to war powers in recent history.” RUBIO LAYS OUT THREE-PHASE PLAN FOR VENEZUELA AFTER MADURO: ‘NOT JUST WINGING IT’ Rubio also wrote to Senate Foreign Relations Chair James Risch, R-Idaho, to spell out that the administration would clue in Congress should any future military action take place in the region. “Should there be any new military operations that introduce U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities, they will be undertaken consistent with the Constitution of the United States, and we will transmit written notifications consistent with section 4(a) of the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148),” he said. However, Rubio’s appearance before the panel comes on the heels of unrest stateside following another fatal shooting in Minnesota, where Alex Pretti was killed in the midst of a Department of Homeland Security-led immigration operation in Minneapolis. KAINE VOWS NEW WAR POWERS FIGHTS AFTER SENATE BLOCKS TRUMP VENEZUELA CHECK While he won’t have to answer for that situation, it has drastically shifted the Senate’s attention over the last several days. It also follows Kaine’s vow to file several more war powers resolutions against Trump, specifically against action in Greenland, Iran and elsewhere. Kaine believed that he could take advantage of cracks that formed in Republicans’ unified front earlier this month, when five joined all Senate Democrats to advance his resolution to require any future military action in Venezuela would need Congress’ approval. “The way cracks grow is through pressure and the pressure campaign that I sort of decided to launch by use of these privileged motions,” Kaine said after his initial push failed. “I’m going to file every one I can to challenge emergencies, to challenge unlawful wars, to seek human rights reports, arms transfers if they’re wrong,” he continued.