‘Squad’ member calls DHS ‘greatest threat to our safety’ after ICE-involved shooting
One leftist lawmaker is ramping up her attacks on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after an immigration officer fatally shot an illegal alien during an enforcement operation in Houston on Tuesday. Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., declared DHS the “greatest threat to our safety” in a social media post, arguing that Mexican national Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who allegedly resisted arrest during an attempted traffic stop, was the agency’s latest victim. DHS said Salgado Araujo was shot in self-defense after he allegedly attempted to run over a federal agent with his vehicle, prompting the officer to open fire. “The greatest threat to our safety is DHS,” Ramirez, a Chicago-based lawmaker who has called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), wrote Tuesday. “CBP and ICE continue to violently attack our neighbors and trample the rights of our residents.” ICE SAYS OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO TRIED TO RAM HIM WITH CAR IN HOUSTON Democrats have recently taken a hard line against DHS — a sprawling agency that oversees everything from the Secret Service to the Coast Guard and TSA — over its immigration enforcement and border security functions. Top Democrats refused to fund the department earlier this year following the Trump administration’s controversial Minneapolis immigration enforcement surge that led to the killing of two Americans by federal officers. The party’s hardball tactics led to the longest partial government shutdown in history and later prompted Republicans to pass a second “big beautiful bill” that funded ICE and CBP for the rest of President Donald Trump’s term. Ramirez did not mention DHS’ statement that Salgado Araujo allegedly evaded arrest while federal authorities attempted to pull him over or that he was not authorized to be in the country. “From information we are receiving, he rammed an ICE law enforcement vehicle, refused to follow multiple verbal commands, and weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer, resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense,” DHS wrote in a statement. “The driver was struck, and emergency services were immediately contacted,” the department continued. “The driver was transported to the hospital where he passed away from his injuries.” ILLEGAL ALIEN ON THE RUN AFTER ALLEGEDLY RAMMING ICE VEHICLE IN PENNSYLVANIA, PROMPTING AGENT TO FIRE WEAPON A spokesperson for Ramirez did not immediately respond to a request for comment on DHS’s account. DHS said the department’s Office of Inspector General is probing the shooting. The FBI’s Houston Office launched a separate investigation into the “potential assault” of the ICE officer, according to DHS’ statement. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, who represents the Magnolia Park neighborhood where Salgado Araujo was shot, issued a more measured statement. “ICE has released an initial account, but the facts must be independently and thoroughly investigated, including the circumstances that led to the use of deadly force,” Garcia wrote on social media. “All available footage, communications, and other evidence should be preserved and reviewed as part of a full and impartial investigation.” Ramirez, who is associated with the far-left cohort known as the “Squad,” also called on the Republican-controlled House to pass her Melt ICE Act, which would effectively defund the agency while laying out a timeline to shutter all immigration detention facilities and releasing detained illegal aliens. The legislation is sponsored by fellow “Squad” members, Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Summer Lee, D-Pa., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. It has no clear path to passage amid widespread opposition from Republicans and likely from some Democrats. Ramirez’s ICE abolition advocacy comes as she has not commented on a spate of illegal aliens with criminal backgrounds who were arrested in her home state of Illinois in June. Federal agents recently arrested Venezuelan national Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti, who allegedly assisted in a 2024 mass shooting involving Tren de Aragua members at a house party in Chicago. Last month, authorities also detained Noe Moreno-Salazar, an illegal alien from Mexico, in St. Charles, Ill. He was previously convicted of sexual abuse and aggravated unlawful use of a loaded weapon, among other offenses, according to DHS. Ramirez also did not appear to comment on the March killing of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman by a Venezuelan illegal alien in Chicago — an incident that sparked outrage over the perpetrator’s previous arrest. Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for comment.
Denmark vows to defend Greenland after Trump reiterates US should control territory
Greenland is “not for sale,” Denmark’s prime minister said Wednesday, vowing to defend the Danish territory after President Donald Trump again said the United States should control the Arctic island for NATO defense. Denmark is “ready to defend every inch of NATO including our own territory,” Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, adding she would call on NATO allies to honor their commitment to defend each other. “We hope that all, including all allies, will respect the Greenland people’s right for self-determination,” she continued. “And we are sovereign states and we need everybody to respect our territorial integrity and our sovereignty. “Greenland is of course not for sale.” TRUMP MAKES FRESH GREENLAND PLAY AFTER XI TALKS AS CHINA’S ARCTIC AMBITIONS LOOM Trump continues to stress that Greenland “is very important” for the U.S. but not for Denmark, declaring, “We need it for protection of the world, not just the United States.” Also, Denmark is coming up short in its support for Greenland, which remains a strategic target for both Russia and China. “That’s what hurt my relationship with NATO,” Trump said Tuesday of the refusal to grant his request for annexation of the strategic land. “Denmark doesn’t spend money to really help Greenland, but it’s an important part for the United States. And it’s surrounded by China ships and Russian ships.” GREENLAND TALKS ON ‘GOOD TRAJECTORY,’ WHITE HOUSE SAYS AMID TRUMP TAKEOVER PUSH For global security, Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark,” Trump added. “They wouldn’t go along with it,” Trump lamented. “And with all the money we spend to help them with Russia. And we don’t have to spend any money, we could remove all of our soldiers out of Europe because, as you probably noticed, Europe is a very different place than it was 20 years ago. A lot different.” Greenland is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO ally. Trump’s push for U.S. control has repeatedly angered Danish and Greenlandic officials, who have insisted the island’s future should be decided by its people. Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir also weighed in Wednesday, saying Greenland’s people “do not wish to be a part of the United States” and urging NATO leaders to stay focused on Russia. TRUMP CALLS OUT NATO AHEAD OF SUMMIT, CALLING IT ‘RIDICULOUS’ FOR US TO PERSIST ON ‘ONE SIDED PATH’ The dispute injected a tense territorial confrontation into a summit already shaped by Trump’s demands that allies spend more on defense and take greater responsibility for Europe’s security as the U.S. shifts its focus. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte sought to emphasize the alliance’s recent defense spending increases, telling Trump that European allies and Canada had made major new commitments. “I would argue that without you in this chair, this would not have happened,” Rutte told Trump. “Grab the win. It’s there.” Trump, however, continued criticizing allies over both Greenland and Iran, where he ordered overnight U.S. strikes after attacks on merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Rutte backed the U.S. strikes, telling Trump they were “absolutely necessary.” The NATO summit is also expected to address Ukraine’s war against Russia, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressing allies for deeper support and renewed consideration of Ukraine’s bid to join the alliance. But Trump’s comments on Greenland underscored a growing challenge for NATO leaders: projecting unity against outside threats while managing disputes inside the alliance itself. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
FIRST ON FOX: Pressure mounts on YMCA to ditch transgender policies after Supreme Court Title IX ruling
FIRST ON FOX: The YMCA is facing renewed pressure to change its policies on transgender access to sex-segregated locker rooms, sports teams and overnight accommodations after the American Parents Coalition (APC) argued the organization’s rules conflict with the Supreme Court‘s recent Title IX rulings. The coalition argued the nonprofit, which operates about 2,600 locations nationwide and receives more than $600 million annually in government funding, should update its policies to align with the Supreme Court’s interpretation of Title IX because it accepts taxpayer funding. In a letter sent this week to YMCA President and CEO Suzanne McCormick and the organization’s board of directors, APC urged the organization to revise its policies governing sports, bathrooms, locker rooms and overnight accommodations following the Supreme Court’s June 30 decisions in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox. In a decision that was unanimous on the Title IX question and split 6-3 on constitutional grounds, the Supreme Court ruled that states can limit women’s and girls’ sports to biological females and that Title IX’s use of the word ‘sex’ refers to biological sex. CONSERVATIVES HAIL JUSTICE THOMAS FOR ‘TRUTH BOMB’ ABOUT RULING PROTECTING WOMEN’S SPORTS “The Supreme Court has drawn an unmistakable line by reaffirming that Title IX’s protections are rooted in biological sex,” American Parents Coalition Executive Director Alleigh Marré said in a statement. “The YMCA has ignored parents’ concerns for far too long while maintaining policies that undermine the privacy, safety, and fairness Title IX was enacted to protect. The Court’s decisions should serve as a wake-up call for every federally funded institution.” The coalition is calling on YMCA leadership to rescind policies allowing biological males to participate in female sports or access female-only bathrooms, locker rooms and overnight accommodations, publish updated policies recognizing sex-based protections for women and girls, and publicly affirm the organization’s commitment to complying with Title IX. “The Supreme Court has now made clear that biological sex is the legally operative distinction under Title IX,” the letter states. “The YMCA faces a choice. It can restore policies that protect women and girls, rebuild parents’ trust, and align its practices with the law as interpreted by the highest court in the land.” BIDEN OFFICIALS CIRCUMVENTED COURT ORDER IN TITLE IX CASES, INCLUDING MALES IN GIRLS’ SPORTS, DOCS SHOW The letter marks the latest step in APC’s yearlong campaign targeting the YMCA’s transgender inclusion policies. Last year, the organization filed Title IX complaints with the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development, alleging the YMCA’s policies violated federal civil rights law. It also asked Congress to investigate the YMCA’s use of federal funding. APC argues that although the Supreme Court’s recent rulings focused on women’s sports, the Court’s reasoning extends to other sex-separated spaces. The group contends YMCA policies allowing individuals to use bathrooms, locker rooms, overnight accommodations and participate on sports teams according to their gender identity are inconsistent with the Court’s interpretation of Title IX. The coalition also alleges the YMCA removed or revised webpages describing some of its gender identity policies after they received public scrutiny while leaving the underlying policies unchanged. APC further claims some YMCA camps continue allowing counselors to stay in cabins that correspond with their gender identity rather than their biological sex. TRUMP CABINET MEMBER SCRAPS OBAMA-ERA GENDER IDENTITY HOUSING RULE, CITES ‘BIOLOGICAL REALITY’ A Fox News Digital review found several local YMCA associations, including the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit, Lakeland Hills YMCA in New Jersey and the Gateway Region YMCA, maintain policies allowing members to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their gender identity. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER The renewed criticism comes a month after controversy at a San Francisco YMCA drew national attention. After months of complaints from some members regarding a transgender woman using the women’s locker room at the Stonestown branch, the facility adopted updated locker room guidelines emphasizing that nudity should be “discreet, limited, and brief” while instructing members to respect others’ privacy and personal space. The revised rules addressed conduct inside the locker room but did not change the YMCA’s policy allowing transgender members to access facilities consistent with their gender identity. The YMCA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on APC’s allegations or whether it plans to review its policies following the Supreme Court’s decisions.
Platner told rape victims to ‘take some responsibility’ and avoid being assaulted in vulgar resurfaced post
Graham Platner, Maine’s embattled Democratic Senate nominee who stands accused of rape, made a Reddit post in 2013 where he criticized victims of rape. “Holy f—, how about people just take some responsibility for themselves and not get so f—ed up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to?” Platner wrote in 2013, responding to another user who expressed disappointment that women couldn’t get intoxicated without fearing sexual assault. “Men and women, you make a choice to consume enough of a substance to lose your self control. So if you don’t want to be in a comprising [sic.] situation, act like an adult for f—s sake,” Platner continued. “Rape is a real thing, if you’re so worried about it to buy Kevlar underwear you’d think you might not get blacked out f—ed up around people you aren’t comfortable with.” EXPLOSIVE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATION ROCKS PLATNER CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF KEY DEADLINE IN CRUCIAL SENATE RACE Jenny Racicot, Platner’s former girlfriend, accused him of raping her in late 2021, saying he broke into her home while intoxicated and forced her to have sex despite her objections. Platner has denied the allegation, which Politico first reported July 6. “I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” Racicot told Politico. “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’” “One of the reasons I didn’t come forward sooner was the huge moral conflict that I had between supporting his politics, but not supporting him as a person,” she continued. NEW YORK TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY OVER GRAHAM PLATNER COVERAGE AS ACCUSERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST PAPER Lyndsey Fifield, also one of Platner’s ex-girlfriends, corroborated the claim that Platner abused alcohol, telling the New York Times in June he “too often self medicated with alcohol, and was a far from perfect boyfriend.” She also accused Platner of emotional abuse and intimidation, allegations he denies as well. “You can’t be that way in private and not have it translate into how you would govern or how you would legislate,” Fifield said. “It terrifies me to think of him having any type of power politically, because what is he going to do with the women in his office?” HOW GRAHAM PLATNER’S CAMPAIGN UNRAVELED: FROM REDDIT POSTS TO RAPE ALLEGATION Platner has so far resisted calls to drop out of the Senate race despite a number of high-profile Democrats rescinding their endorsements. Platner must withdraw by July 13 for Democrats to be able to select a replacement candidate by July 27. If Platner does decide to stay in the race, a different Reddit post where he criticized Republicans for supporting candidates accused of sexual assault could come back to haunt him. “Ah yes, the old ‘I’ll vote for the sexual predator/corrupt candidate scheme because he’s a Republican’ game,” Platner wrote in 2018, responding to a now deleted post on a firearms subreddit. The Platner campaign did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
Platner campaign putting ‘thumb on scale’ to influence possible replacement, Maine Dem alleges
The Maine Democratic Party issued a stern warning to U.S. Senate primary winner Graham Platner, telling him and his campaign that they have “no role” in choosing his replacement. Platner has not yet withdrawn from the race, and is still the state’s Democrat nominee for U.S. Senate, despite mounting pressure from state and national Democrats to drop out after a woman who previously dated him accused him of sexual assault in a Politico report published Monday. Platner has denied the allegations, but said he is looking at “the best path forward,” as he understood the political fallout the accusation would create. “The Maine Democratic Party has been working around the clock to develop a process to replace our U.S. Senate nominee that is open, inclusive, transparent, and fair,” state party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson said in a video posted to X amid myriad newly surfaced allegations levied against Platner with less than a week before the deadline to lock in the candidate to challenge incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. “The integrity of this process is just as important as the outcome, and we are committed to ensuring that Democrats across our state can have confidence in both,” Murphy-Anderson continued. “Unfortunately, Graham Platner’s team has repeatedly reached out to us in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like. We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner’s team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, nor in determining what this process looks like.” WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IF PLATNER DROPS OUT? HERE’S WHO COULD REPLACE HIM ON THE BALLOT AND HOW IT WOULD WORK Amid the fight with the Maine party leaders, an official for the Platner campaign said it “has reached out to the party to try and understand what this process would look like” and “at no point has the campaign tried to ‘put its finger on the scale.’” The official added that thousands of Maine residents voted and volunteered for Platner, and they should play a role in the decision. “While Graham wouldn’t want to be a part of the process, he would want to make sure the voters and volunteers make this decision — not the political establishment,” the statement said. GRAHAM PLATNER’S CHANCES OF DROPPING OUT SKYROCKET TO 94% AFTER PARTY REVOLT: KALSHI Fox News Digital has made multiple attempts to reach out to Platner’s campaign for further comment, and also reached out to the Maine Democratic Party. EXPLOSIVE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATION ROCKS PLATNER CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF KEY DEADLINE IN CRUCIAL SENATE RACE Maine Democratic Party leaders called on Platner to withdraw Monday, saying “multiple women have made serious, credible allegations against Graham Platner” and that the party “stands with women and survivors.” The party noted that no replacement process can begin unless Platner suspends his campaign, while stating that “in no scenario is there a legal possibility for a nominee to be selected by an individual campaign.” “The sooner this process can begin, the more time we will have to administer an intentional and inclusive process for Mainers and Democrats,” the party said. “We are entrusted with deciding who represents our values and who carries our banner,” the party said. “That responsibility requires judgment, leadership, and a willingness to act when circumstances demand it.” The timing is critical. According to the Maine Democratic Party, the deadline set by the secretary of state for a nominee to withdraw is July 13, and the deadline for a new nominee to be submitted is July 27. If Platner does not withdraw by the July 13 deadline, Democrats would not have the option to name a replacement. Names of potential replacements floated in media reports include former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Nirav Shah, the former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The race is one of Democrats’ top pickup opportunities as they seek to defeat Collins, a five-term Republican incumbent, and regain control of the Senate. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Noncitizen accused of falsely claiming US citizenship before casting federal ballots
A lawful permanent resident from Australia was arrested after she allegedly illegally voted in federal elections in Louisiana, according to officials. Denise Nataly Migliore, 51, was charged in a four-count indictment last month with making false statements to register to vote and illegal voting in an election, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana said. In October 2022 and October 2024, she knowingly made false claims about her U.S. citizenship to register to vote in a federal election, prosecutors said. DHS DIRECTS ICE TO DEPORT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO VOTE IN AMERICAN ELECTIONS UNDER NEW DIRECTIVE In November of each of those years, she allegedly cast ballots after falsely certifying that she was a U.S. citizen and eligible to vote. Migliore was ineligible to vote because she was not a U.S. citizen. On July 1, Homeland Security Investigations arrested Migliore at the federal courthouse in New Orleans after an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “This alien from Australia now faces federal charges for falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen and illegally casting ballots in two elections,” acting Assistant DHS Secretary of Public Affairs Lauren Bis said in a statement. “Her arrest and charges are the result of the hard work of the men and women of ICE law enforcement and our federal partners. “Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: We will find you, arrest you and you will face the consequences, including criminal charges and deportation. Only Americans should be electing American leaders.” NONCITIZEN EX-KANSAS MAYOR PLEADS GUILTY TO ILLEGALLY VOTING MULTIPLE TIMES If convicted, Migliore faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. She also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Abbott orders probe after Texas hospital advertises ‘birth packages’ in Mexico: ‘Citizenship is not for sale’
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered an investigation into a Texas hospital Tuesday after it confirmed to Fox News that it advertised Spanish-language “Birth Packages in South Texas” on billboards in Mexico promoting childbirth services to pregnant foreign nationals near the U.S.-Mexico border. Mission Regional Medical Center confirmed to Fox News that it was responsible for the advertising campaign, which promoted deliveries starting at $3,950 for a natural birth and $5,525 for a C-section, and directed viewers to a website, havemybabyinTEXAS.com, which has since been taken offline. The billboards also displayed a telephone number beginning with “001,” the country code used to place calls to the United States from Mexico. ‘WEAPONS OF MASS REPRODUCTION’: WATCHDOG UNVEILS ACTION PLAN TO CURB BIRTH TOURISM AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING “The marketing materials regarding maternity services are no longer in use due to any unintended misunderstanding,” a hospital spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. “We do not support or facilitate any unlawful activity and work to comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations.” The spokesperson said the campaign included two billboards located within approximately 5 miles of the hospital near a U.S.-Mexico border crossing. The hospital said both billboards and the website were removed Monday after images began circulating on social media. The spokesperson also said the campaign began in 2021 but did not specify when the billboards were installed. Abbott on Tuesday directed Texas Health and Human Services Commission Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth to investigate Mission Regional Medical Center for potential violations of state law and contractual obligations. REPUBLICAN ACCUSES SCOTUS OF BETRAYING US, PUSHES BILL RESTRICTING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, PREGNANT VISITORS Images of the billboard circulated on social media before the hospital said it removed the advertisements Monday. “‘Birth tourism’ is an illegal practice that exploits the extraordinary hospitality that the United States and Texas offer to millions of foreign travelers each year,” Abbott wrote in a July 7 letter obtained by Fox News. “Unfortunately, thousands of foreign travelers come to the United States under false pretenses to give birth and secure citizenship for their children.” TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP Abbott directed HHSC to “immediately and thoroughly investigate” the hospital and said any violations should be referred to the Texas Attorney General for civil enforcement and to the appropriate district or county attorney for potential criminal prosecution. “American citizenship is not for sale and Texas will not permit our healthcare system to be used as a magnet for birth tourism,” Abbott wrote. The governor also said he plans to work with the Texas Legislature during its next session “to strengthen state law and eliminate birth tourism in Texas.” “Unfortunately, birth tourism operations are not a new phenomenon,” Kyle Brosnan, general counsel of the Oversight Project, told Fox News Digital in a statement. “The Supreme Court’s egregiously wrong decision in the birthright citizenship case is going to open the floodgates to the birth tourism industry. Our country is much more than a pile of magic dirt. The only answer to these type of practices are criminal investigations and the mass deportation of illegal aliens.” Mission Regional Medical Center also said it intends to cooperate with state officials. “We intend to work cooperatively and transparently with local and state officials,” the hospital said in a statement obtained by Fox News. “Our focus remains on delivering safe, high-quality care to every patient who seeks our services.” The investigation comes as President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to limit automatic birthright citizenship for some children born in the United States remains the subject of ongoing legal challenges.
New explosive allegation rocks Platner campaign still reeling from rape accusation
Embattled U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner was hit with a second explosive allegation of sexual impropriety only about 24 hours after he was accused of rape — all while a major campaign decision deadline looms. In a new report published by The Washington Post, the candidate from Maine was accused of removing condoms during sex with his ex-girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield after she explicitly directed him to wear them. “He would pull condoms off,” she told The Washington Post. “He would do it in a sneaky way. He wouldn’t tell me.” NEW YORK TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY OVER GRAHAM PLATNER COVERAGE AS ACCUSERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST PAPER Fifield, 41, previously accused Platner of physical misconduct during their relationship, saying that he sometimes grabbed her hard enough to leave marks on her body and that one time he twisted her arm around her back, pushed her into a bedroom and held the door shut until she “calmed down.” Those concerns were largely dismissed by Platner’s supporters, who characterized Fifield, who used to work at The Heritage Foundation, as being a conservative operative. “I confronted him both during and after [sex] because he knew that I was not on birth control and how dangerous that was,” she told the Post, which said Fifield made the allegations in a previous interview with the outlet but strictly off the record. ‘HE HATED WOMEN’: EXPLOSIVE ABUSE, NEW NAZI TATTOO ALLEGATIONS FROM EXES ROCK PLATNER’S CAMPAIGN “He would act, like, cute about it, like ‘Oh sneaky me,’” she said, according to the report. In a statement to The Washington Post, the Platner campaign reportedly said that Fifield’s latest allegations were “categorically false and politically motivated.” Platner is running to oust Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins. Monday, the oyster farmer, whose campaign has been dogged by scandal since last year, was accused of rape by another woman. PLATNER’S LATEST ACCUSER CLAIMS THE DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE ‘ABSOLUTELY’ RAPED HER Jenny Racicot, 41, told Politico that Platner drunkenly entered her home while they were on-again, off-again romantic partners in 2021 and raped her. She claimed that he ejaculated inside her after she told him to stop multiple times. “I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” Racicot told the outlet, which she said took place while Platner was “almost blackout drunk” in Washington, D.C. “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’” Platner categorically denied those allegations, too, in a video released in the immediate aftermath of the publication of the Politico story. He said his campaign was taking time to assess possible next steps as a major deadline in the race looms. Platner must withdraw from the race by 5 p.m. July 13 if another Democratic candidate, who would be chosen by the party, is to replace him before the November general election. Monday evening into Tuesday, a litany of previous supporters dropped their endorsements of Platner and called for him to drop out of the race, including progressive senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., two of his most ardent backers. “Now more than ever we need leaders in Washington who reflect our values. There can be no tolerance for sexual assault,” Warren said in a statement Monday night. TOP PLATNER ALLY TURNS ON HIM AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION ROCKS CAMPAIGN: ‘RED LINE’ “Working families are counting on Democrats to win the Senate election in Maine to unrig our economy and hold Donald Trump accountable. With so much at stake, the best path forward is for Graham Platner to step aside as the Democratic nominee and address these serious allegations outside this Senate race.” “I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine,” Sanders said in a statement Tuesday. “In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.” Fox News Digital reached out to Platner’s campaign for comment. Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Dem with White House ambitions ripped after backing two scandal-plagued candidates: ‘Troubling’
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who has left the door open to a 2028 presidential run, is facing new questions about his judgment after rescinding support for a second Democratic candidate accused of misconduct involving women. Gallego rescinded his endorsement of Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner on Monday after a rape allegation surfaced. The move comes just months after Gallego pulled his support from Eric Swalwell’s disastrous California gubernatorial bid amid separate allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. Both Platner and Swalwell have denied the allegations against them. In a social media post on X announcing he would be withdrawing his support for Platner, Gallego called the accusations against Platner “troubling and deeply serious.” Meanwhile, Lyndsey Fifield, Platner’s former girlfriend who has publicly accused Platner of abusive behavior, called out Gallego after the Arizona senator withdrew his Platner endorsement Monday, suggesting Gallego had ample warning signs before finally abandoning the embattled Maine Democrat. DEM SENATOR FACES DOJ PROBE AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF SPENDING CAMPAIGN FUNDS ON LUXURY LIFESTYLE “Mine weren’t sufficiently troubling or serious for you, right?” Fifield wondered in response to a social media post on X from Gallego, referring to the accounts of her relationship with Platner provided to The New York Times and published several weeks ago. Fifield’s allegations were included in a June 4 New York Times report examining Platner’s past relationships in which she alleged that he repeatedly grabbed her hard enough to leave marks, pulled her from a cab by the wrist and, in one incident, twisted her arm behind her back and held her in a room while they were dating several years ago. Fifield told the Times Platner never hit or punched her but said the alleged incidents left her shaken and afraid. Platner denied being violent and called the allegations false. Still, Platner drew support from influential Democratic figures before and after the Times report. “Pod Save America” co-host Jon Lovett acknowledged after the June 4 story that the Times had reported allegations that Platner was “intimidating and even physically aggressive with past romantic partners” but argued Democrats had to weigh whether they preferred “a Democratic majority with Graham Platner in the Senate” or a Republican majority with incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. TOP PLATNER ALLY TURNS ON HIM AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION ROCKS CAMPAIGN: ‘RED LINE’ Fellow co-host Jon Favreau had previously praised Platner as Democrats’ “best and only chance” to beat Collins and as a “good, decent man who’s struggled and grown and is always trying to do better.” “Senator Gallego did the right thing and broke with those individuals when he learned they had betrayed values he proudly fights for,” a Gallego spokesperson told Fox News Digital. But Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said people like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., needed to apologize for backing Platner, telling Fox News’ Laura Ingraham that he “refused” early on to look past the claims. “What he did is he effectively broke in her home – he went in her home without her consent, then he came upstairs and assaulted her. She also described that created a dangerous situation for a possible pregnancy because of those circumstances, what he’s done,” Fetterman said of the latest allegations. DEMS UPHILL CLIMB FOR SENATE MAJORITY JUST GOT A LOT STEEPER WITH LATEST PLATNER ALLEGATION “He was already a dead man walking politically,” Fetterman continued. “Even those ‘Pod Save America’ people who pushed that dirtbag — and they dismissed those things in The New York Times article — maybe they ought to apologize to the women that clearly they didn’t believe or they dismissed. “I know Democrats that have back-to-back endorsed and gone all in on Swalwell and were on the Platner train as well too. So, maybe stop getting in bed with absolute dirtbags, someone like Platner.” A Fox News Digital review of public endorsement announcements and press reports found Gallego was the only sitting member of Congress clearly identified as having endorsed both Swalwell and Platner. Separate state and local affiliates within the SEIU and AFL-CIO labor union networks were involved in each race, but they were not the same endorsing entities. “The allegations against Platner are awful but are also unsurprising to anyone who actually read the NYT catch-and-kill story. The victim strongly implied the allegations there,” former chief counsel to Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, Mike Fragoso, said this week after the latest round of allegations against Platner. The latest allegation came from Jenny Racicot, a Maine Democrat who said she dated Platner on and off from 2019 to 2021 and had previously spoken to the Times for its June story. Racicot alleged in a Monday Politico report that Platner entered her home uninvited in late 2021 after she told him not to come over, was intoxicated, ignored her repeated objections and forced her to have sex. Politico reported that it reviewed text messages and emails with Racicot’s therapist and spoke with people she said she confided in after the alleged assault. Platner has once again denied the allegation as false. HOW GRAHAM PLATNER’S CAMPAIGN UNRAVELED: FROM REDDIT POSTS TO RAPE ALLEGATION Gallego joined several other prominent Democrats after the Politico report in rescinding support for Platner or calling on him to exit the race, while Democratic operatives face a tight window under Maine election law to replace him if he withdraws. “Gallego’s judgment is troubling,” Republican Arizona state Sen. Warren Peterson said. “Another Gallego endorsement going down in flames.” “There is a bizarre pattern of Gallego, who claimed complete ignorance of his friend Eric Swalwell’s alleged abusive treatment of women and is now doing the same with Graham Platner,” said Jonathan Turley, a Fox News Media contributor and George Washington University law professor. “For Schumer’s PAC, Senatorial, Gallego, the Pod Bros, et al. the only real difference now is polling,” Fragoso said of the changing sentiment toward Platner. Meanwhile, conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky took aim at Gallego’s personal history, writing on X, “Ruben Gallego is dropping Graham Platner like he’s a pregnant wife.” The
Trump administration plans new ICE holding facility near Louisiana deportation flight hub
The Trump administration plans to open a new migrant holding facility next to an airport hub in Louisiana, potentially allowing the federal government to speed up deportations of families and unaccompanied children. A holding facility with 528 beds is set to open in Alexandria, Louisiana, near the Alexandria International Airport (AEX), according to The Associated Press. The proximity to the airport is believed to make it easier for federal immigration officials to house illegal immigrants and unaccompanied children during final flight preparations, the outlet reported. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is describing the new Louisiana facility as a “staging area” and not a detention center, saying migrants would only be held there for a few days at most. NEW YORKER SUING ICE AFTER OFFICERS WENT TO HIS HOME TO WARN HIM OVER CRITICISM OF AGENCY “England Airpark is a staging facility for deportations. A staging facility is where illegal aliens await their deportation flight to their destination country or transfer to a detention facility,” a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, which deferred to DHS. Airpark officials at the airfield where the structure is being built said the facility is a “humanitarian effort” for families who are “self-deporting.” Immigration advocates say families and unaccompanied children sometimes decide to leave due to pressure or a lack of an understanding of their options, The AP reported. The facility would be stationed next to the nation’s largest hub for deportations. More than 4,400 immigration enforcement flights came to and from the Alexandria International Airport last year, according to data from the ICE Flight Monitor, an initiative of Human Rights First. ICE documents say families and children at the facility “are in the legal custody of ICE and can only be released at the direction of ICE.” The agency has told contractors that families at the facility should not be referred to as prisoners, detainees or inmates, records show. Contractors were instructed not to utilize bars or cages when transporting families and unaccompanied children. The facility will not be required to take headcounts and should allow families to wear their own clothes, the agency said. Unaccompanied children are typically not taken to facilities overseen by ICE and must instead be placed in the care of state-licensed shelters and foster care programs, which are run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement in the Department of Health and Human Services. But that agency is not involved in the new facility’s operation, a spokesperson at the airfield where the facility is being built told The Associated Press. The facility would be run by a nonprofit arm of LaSalle Corrections, a private prison contractor, according to Ralph Hennessy, executive director of the England Airpark Authority, who said it could be operational as early as next month. “These are people that are volunteering to go back home, and they’re going back home as a family unit,” Hennessy told The Associated Press. ICE signed a contract late last month to build the facility at the former military base near Alexandria International Airport, Hennessy said. APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN FROM HOLDING MIGRANTS WITHOUT BOND FOR OVER 90 DAYS The facility would operate as a 72-hour holding center for migrants awaiting deportation, records show, according to The Associated Press. LaSalle Corrections runs several private prisons and federal immigration detention centers throughout the south, including the “Louisiana Lockup” inside the state’s maximum-security prison in Angola. The official contractor for the new ICE holding facility will be the company’s nonprofit arm, the LaSalle Family Foundation, but LaSalle Corrections will be involved in operating the holding facility and ensuring compliance, according to the company’s chief financial officer, Tim Kurpiewski. Since April, two detainee deaths have been reported at a LaSalle-run ICE facility in the state. Winn Correctional Center was also found last month to have violated standards regarding environmental health and safety, food service, use of force, medical care and other concerns, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. The Associated Press contributed to this report.