NationalWatch

Election officials in Fulton County, Georgia, asked a federal judge to reject a U.S. Department of Justice effort to obtain identifying details for people who worked on the 2020 election in the county.

The Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections (FBRE) filed a 27-page motion Monday asking the Georgia federal court to quash a grand jury subpoena issued by the DOJ.

The motion to quash called the subpoena “an unprecedented and harassing grand jury subpoena” and characterized it as the DOJ’s “latest effort to target and harass the President’s perceived political enemies — this time election officials, poll workers, and volunteers in Fulton County whom Donald Trump continues to disparage as he perpetuates his false claim that they ‘stole’ the 2020 election.”

The subpoena, according to the FBRE motion, requests that the Board send information for thousands of poll workers and county employees to an out-of-district U.S. attorney and an FBI agent. The motion argues that the probe be quashed on grounds that it cannot result in criminal prosecution “because, among other things, the statutes of limitations have expired for any purported 2020 crimes.”

GEORGIA’S FULTON COUNTY FILES MOTION SEEKING RETURN OF 2020 ELECTION MATERIALS SEIZED BY FBI

Trump lost the state of Georgia by a razor-thin margin in 2020, prompting Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to announce a recount by hand. The November 18, 2020, recount confirmed that former President Joe Biden won the state by 11,777 votes.

The subpoena represents the latest from the Trump administration in an effort to investigate alleged voter fraud in Georgia.

In January, the DOJ filed a lawsuit against Raffensperger to compel him to produce an unredacted statewide voter registration database.

FBI’S FULTON COUNTY WARRANT SOUGHT ELECTION RECORDS, VOTER ROLLS FROM 2020 ELECTION

Five days later, FBI agents conducted a search at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center as part of a probe related to the 2020 election.

The FBI also filed search warrants in February revealing a probe into missing ballots and chain-of-custody problems in Georgia’s biggest county.

FBRE’s pushback claims, in part, that Trump’s efforts amount to “arbitrary fishing expeditions.”

Trump officials, meanwhile, defend their efforts as necessary to ensure election integrity.

“Interference in U.S. elections is a threat to our republic and a national security threat,” Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard said in a letter to Congress in February.

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Fox News Digital reached out to spokespeople for the White House, the DOJ, the DNI, the FBI and for the chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners but did not immediately receive a response.

President Donald Trump said the U.S. hasn’t “been challenged by China” on the conflict with Iran, describing leader Xi Jinping as being “very respectful” with tensions remaining high over the Strait of Hormuz. 

Trump made the remark Tuesday at the White House ahead of his visit next week to Beijing to meet Xi in person. 

“I have a very good relationship with President Xi. You know, I find him to be a tremendous guy, and we get along well. And you see how we do,” Trump told reporters when asked about what he hopes to achieve with Xi in relation to Iran. “We do a lot of business with China and making a lot of money. We’re making a lot of money. It’s different than it used to be, but I’ll be talking about — that’ll be one subject.” 

“But he’s been very nice about this. You know, in all fairness, he gets like, 60% of his oil from Hormuz. And he’s been, I think he’s been very respectful,” Trump added. “We haven’t been challenged by China. They don’t challenge us. And he wouldn’t do that. I don’t think he’d do that because of me. But, I think he’s been very respectful.” 

LIVE UPDATES: UAE ACTIVATES AIR DEFENSES IN RESPONSE TO IRAN MISSILE THREAT

Trump said the Iranian regime is “trying to survive,” but they won’t be successful if they don’t make a deal with the U.S. 

“Oh, they don’t make a deal? They won’t be successful. They’ll go very quickly and methodically. Believe me, it’ll be very easy,” Trump continued. 

The president announced in March that the meeting with Xi in Beijing will happen on May 14-15. 

TRUMP OPENS HORMUZ UNDER FIRE WITH ‘PROJECT FREEDOM’ AS IRAN WARNS OF ATTACKS

“First Lady Melania and I will also host President Xi and Madame Peng for a reciprocal visit in Washington, D.C., at a later date, this year. Our Representatives are finalizing preparations for these Historic Visits. I look very much forward to spending time with President Xi in what will be, I am sure, a Monumental Event,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

When asked Tuesday about U.S. military ships coming under fire in the Strait of Hormuz — and what it would take for Iran to violate the ongoing ceasefire — Trump said, “Well, you’ll find out, because I’ll let you know.” 

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“They know what to do… and they know what not to do, more importantly, actually,” Trump added. 

Actor Zachary Levi voiced strong support for embattled incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., urging people to back the congressman’s re-election bid.

“My fellow Americans, there are very few politicians that actually stand and fight for the people of this country like @RepThomasMassie does. He is a man of integrity and strength, and I wish more of the folks in DC would follow his example,” Levi declared in a Monday night post on X.

“Please consider supporting him in his re-election bid. Whether you live in Kentucky, or elsewhere, he is good for this country,” Levi wrote, sharing the link to a Massie campaign fundraiser.

ZACHARY LEVI CLAIMS SUPPORTING TRUMP MADE HIM A HOLLYWOOD OUTSIDER

“In less than 24 hours, we’ve raised $122,457 thanks to your generosity!” Massie declared in a Tuesday morning post on X.

Some of Levi’s roles have included the TV series “Chuck” and the “Shazam!” films.

Levi backed Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 presidential contest.

But Trump, a vociferous Massie critic, has been targeting the lawmaker for ouster.

MASSIE ALLY SPARKS BACKLASH AFTER ACCUSING TRUMP-BACKED CHALLENGER OF ABUSING VA BENEFITS

Massie is facing a Trump-backed challenger, former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, in the GOP primary in Kentucky’s 4th congressional district.

The primary is on May 19, which is just two weeks away.

Fox News Digital reached out to Massie on Tuesday.

MASSIE SAYS MUSK NEVER DONATED TO HIS RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN DESPITE PRIOR PLEDGE

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The congressman has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since late 2012.

FIRST ON FOX: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is blasting local officials in Virginia after the agency says it arrested an illegal immigrant convicted of child rape who was released back onto the streets by local officials.

On Friday, ICE says it arrested Guatemalan national Walvin Victor Hugo Garcia after an appearance in Fairfax County court following his June arrest on felony charges of rape of a child less than 13 years of age, aggravated sexual battery of a victim under 13 years of age, use of a computer to commit sex offense with a minor, and distributing drugs to a minor.  

ICE had lodged a detainer after his arrest in June asking the county not to release Garcia but, according to an ICE press release, “sanctuary politicians refused to cooperate with ICE” and Garcia was “allowed to leave court without ICE being notified.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement placing the blame at the feet of local officials in Virginia, as well as with Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger.

GUATEMALAN MAN CHARGED WITH CHILD PORN POSSESSION RELEASED BY FAIRFAX COUNTY DESPITE ICE DETAINER, DHS SAYS

“Governor Spanberger and her fellow sanctuary politicians in Fairfax, Virginia refused to cooperate with ICE and RELEASED this child rapist from jail back onto the streets,” Acting DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

“This criminal illegal alien from Guatemala has been charged with raping a child under 13, aggravated sexual battery of a victim under 13, and distributing drugs to a minor. Thanks to our brave law enforcement, this sicko is out of our communities. Governor Spanberger and Fairfax sanctuary politicians are playing Russian roulette with American lives by releasing criminals from jail into American neighborhoods.”  

DHS says Garcia was released by Fairfax County and appeared for his court date on his own. The agency added that he was then arrested inside the courthouse but outside the courtroom without assistance from locals. 

Garcia first entered the country illegally near Eagle Pass, Texas, during the Biden administration in 2023, the agency says, and was released into the country. In February 2025, a Virginia immigration judge issued a final order of removal for Garcia.

In a press release, DHS referred to the situation as a “Sanctuary Calamity.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger’s office and officials in Fairfax County for comment. 

The Garcia case is the latest in a string of high-profile incidents cited by DHS and immigration enforcement advocates in Fairfax County in recent months as examples of sanctuary jurisdiction policies putting citizens in danger.

MEET THE FAIRFAX KILLERS: TOP VIOLENT ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIMINALS WREAKING HAVOC ON MAJOR AMERICAN SUBURB

In April, ICE arrested Roni Mendez-Escobar, another Guatemalan national, after Fairfax County authorities had previously released him despite charges of possessing and intending to distribute child pornography, according to DHS.

That same month, authorities charged Misael Lopez Gomez, also from Guatemala, with murder and felony child abuse in the death of his 3-month-old daughter.

Earlier in the year, Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy was charged with second-degree murder after a fatal stabbing, and Abdul Jalloh, a Sierra Leone national with a lengthy arrest record, was charged in the stabbing death of a Virginia woman at a bus stop.

The cases have intensified scrutiny of Fairfax County’s policies and fueled broader political clashes over immigration enforcement in Virginia, an issue expected to remain front and center ahead of upcoming elections.

While Spanberger has repeatedly said Virginia is not a sanctuary state, a state that prevents local law enforcement from partnering with federal immigration enforcement efforts, Spanberger rescinded local-federal coordination requirements as one of her first actions as governor.

She argued that Virginia’s resources would be better spent enforcing its own laws.

“Virginians have been deprived of critical public safety and local law enforcement to divert their limited resources for use in enforcing federal civil immigration laws,” Spanberger said in a press release.

During a press gaggle last month, Spanberger said it is an “absolute lie” that state and local police are unwilling to work with federal agencies, including ICE.

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 At the same time, conservatives have pointed to her as the face of an immigration standard in the commonwealth that Fox News Digital reported last month has alarmed some citizens, while sparking criticism from the Trump administration as well. 

President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, sat down sat down with Fox News Digital for an exclusive interview in April, where he said if Spanberger is unwilling to cooperate with federal law enforcement, the border czar is willing to “send more teams into the streets.”

“Elections have consequences,” Homan explained. “[Spanberger] ran on a law enforcement position that she was a career law enforcement person. [She] is a much different person now since she’s in that governor’s slot.”

Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Ann Kincaid and Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney Steven Descano have also faced blowback over the illegal immigrant violence in Virginia and will soon voluntarily testify at an upcoming Immigration Integrity, Security and Enforcement Subcommittee hearing entitled “Fairfax County Virginia – The Dangerous Consequences of Sanctuary City Policies.”

Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno, Charlie Creitez, and Preston Mizell contributed to this report.

Justice Samuel Alito tore into Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s lone dissent in a high-stakes Louisiana redistricting dispute on Monday, calling her arguments “baseless and insulting” after the Supreme Court decided to fast-track implementing its recent redistricting ruling ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Alito used a concurring opinion, joined by Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas, to directly rebuke Jackson, saying her “dissent in this suit levels charges that cannot go unanswered.”

“The dissent goes on to claim that our decision represents an unprincipled use of power,” Alito wrote, adding that that was a “groundless and utterly irresponsible charge.”

The clash highlighted Jackson’s increasingly isolated position on the court, as she broke not only from the conservative majority but also from her two liberal colleagues, who did not join her dissent. Jackson forcefully accused the Supreme Court of overreach, marking the latest in a pattern of solo dissents in which the Biden-appointed liberal justice has blasted high-profile majority decisions that have frequently favored President Donald Trump and Republicans.

MEDIA OUTRAGE OVER SUPREME COURT’S VOTING RIGHTS ACT DECISION COLLIDES WITH REALITY 

In Monday’s order, the high court decided in an unsigned ruling to allow Louisiana officials to quickly move forward with changing their congressional map, which is expected to reshape the state’s congressional representation in favor of Republicans ahead of the midterms.

Alito argued that delaying the judgment of the high court’s 6-3 ruling last month — which significantly narrowed section two of the Voting Rights Act by finding Louisiana’s map was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander — served no practical purpose. Jackson’s reasons for wanting to prolong implementation of the landmark ruling were “trivial at best” and “baseless and insulting,” Alito said.

“The dissent accuses the Court of ‘unshackl[ing]’ itself from ‘constraints,'” Alito wrote. “It is the dissent’s rhetoric that lacks restraint.”

SUPREME COURT HEARS PIVOTAL LOUISIANA ELECTION MAP CASE AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS

Jackson had warned that the high court’s intervention risked improperly injecting itself into an active election and creating the “appearance of partiality,” pointing to ongoing voting and legal challenges already unfolding in the state.

Legal experts observed the unusually pointed tone of Alito’s response, suggesting it indicated a deeper internal friction. George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley said the conservative justice appeared to reach a breaking point in responding to Jackson’s criticism.

“Justice Alito had had enough,” Turley wrote. “He noted that her reliance on the 32-day period was a ‘trivial’ objection that put form above substance since no party had asked for reconsideration. It would be waiting for 32 days for no purpose, while the other parties had stated a reasonable and pressing need to finalize the opinion.”

Turley added that Alito took particular issue with Jackson’s accusation that the Supreme Court was acting in an “unprincipled” manner.

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The dispute centered on the Supreme Court’s procedural rule that typically allows about 32 days before a judgment is formally sent down to lower courts. Alito emphasized that the rule is flexible and intended primarily to allow time for rehearing petitions, which he signaled were not expected in this case.

The Supreme Court’s decision Monday sends Louisiana into a scramble to implement a new map as ballots have already been sent to voters and the state’s primary has been paused. The ruling is expected to have broader implications across the country as state election officials and courts attempt to finalize constitutionally compliant maps in time for the upcoming election.

Senate Republicans tucked an eye-popping figure into funding for security measures tied to President Donald Trump’s ballroom, a project the administration once touted as being completely privately funded.

The GOP released legislation for its immigration enforcement-focused reconciliation package late Monday night, setting the total spending at $72 billion. But it also included $1 billion in taxpayer funding for the ballroom addition to the White House.

Republicans had largely kept an arm’s length distance from the project, which Trump first announced last year. The construction drew criticism over the demolition of the East Wing and the flow of outside funding, which the administration has touted as a win for taxpayers.

JOHNSON SCRAMBLES AS TRUMP, SENATE REPUBLICANS PRESSURE HOUSE TO FUND DHS

But since the third apparent assassination attempt against Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton last month, Republicans have jumped on the ballroom bandwagon.

The funding is tucked into the Senate Judiciary Committee’s portion of the reconciliation package, which tees up nearly $31 billion for ICE, $3.5 billion for Customs and Border Protection (CBP), $2.5 billion for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and just shy of $1.5 billion for the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, pitched his portion of the bill by bucking Democrats’ desire for “open borders” and their push to defund the police.

“Republicans won’t allow our country to be dragged backwards by Democrats’ radical, anti-law enforcement agenda,” Grassley said in a statement.

REPUBLICANS RUSH TO GREEN LIGHT WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM FOLLOWING THIRD TRUMP ASSASSINATION SCARE

The ballroom funding would be doled out to the Secret Service and is explicitly meant for “security adjustments and upgrades,” including “above-ground and below-ground security features,” according to the legislation.

Notably, the measure sets guardrails on the funding so that none of the taxpayer money would be used for “non-security elements of the East Wing Modernization Project.”

Adding funding for the ballroom could be a slight to some Republicans who wanted to use the latest reconciliation opportunity to go big on affordability issues, aid for farmers or spending cuts, among several other wish list items.

REPUBLICANS EYE PICKING UP $400M TAB FOR TRUMP’S BALLROOM AS SOME DEMS OPEN TO ‘DISCUSS’ IDEA

Senate Democrats are already going after the GOP for including the project.

“Republicans are on a different planet than American families,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on X. “Republicans looked at families drowning in bills and decided what they really needed was more raids and a Trump ballroom.”

Meanwhile, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, led by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., also released its portion of the reconciliation package, which tees up nearly $33 billion in funding.

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Paul’s measure included over $19 billion for CBP, $7.5 billion for ICE, nearly $3.5 billion for border security and $2.5 billion for DHS.

“Senate Democrats refuse to vote for a single dollar to secure our borders or enforce our immigration laws, even against the most violent illegal aliens,” Paul said in a statement. “To make sure those vital functions are funded, my committee will vote later this month to provide the funding needed.”

Progressives are blasting party leaders after House Democrats’ campaign arm backed a centrist over a far-left challenger in a key battleground race that could shape control of the House. 

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) added California state Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains and seven other Democrats to its “Red to Blue” program this week — a de facto endorsement that could give the candidates aiming to defeat GOP incumbents a leg up in critical primaries across the country. 

The DCCC’s decision to support Bains over progressive challenger Randy Villegas, a university professor backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in the hotly contested race has sparked backlash from progressive lawmakers, who argue the campaign arm should stay neutral in contested primaries. 

“We disagree with the DCCC’s decision to attempt to tip the scales in this race,” Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC leaders, who have endorsed Villegas, said in a joint statement. “Voters, not the DCCC, should pick Democratic nominees.”

DEMOCRATS NAME CANDIDATES TO ‘RED TO BLUE’ INITIATIVE, AIMING TO FLIP GOP MAJORITY DURING MIDTERMS

The group of progressives included Reps. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Greg Casar, D-Texas, Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., Chuy Garcia, D-Ill., and Jamie Raskin, D-Md. 

“Deeply disappointed to see this last-minute intervention in a competitive Democratic primary,” Rep. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., wrote on social media Monday. “It’s especially tone-deaf in a district that is overwhelmingly Latino, coming on the heels of last week’s decision gutting the VRA [Voting Rights Act].”

Villegas also slammed the DCCC intervention as “undemocratic” in a post on X.

The political newcomer is supported by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ campaign arm and the left-wing Working Families Party, among other outside groups. Meanwhile, several major labor groups, including the moderate Blue Dogs PAC and the center-left NewDem Action Fund, are backing Bains.

Both are vying to unseat Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., who has repeatedly fended off Democratic challengers in the majority-Hispanic district.

SQUAD STYLE PROGRESSIVES HIT WITH ‘COLD SHOWER’ AS CANDIDATES FALL TO MODERATES IN BLUE STATE CIVIL WAR

The DCCC’s decision to elevate candidates in other crowded primaries has also drawn pushback.

Its strategy to promote state legislator Joe Baldacci in Maine’s second congressional district resulted in sharp criticism from a rival candidate in the race.

“Once again, Washington, D.C., insiders are trying to tell Mainers who can represent them,” Jordan Woods, a former Capitol Hill staffer running for the Republican-leaning seat, said in a statement.

Asked for comment, House Democrats’ campaign arm said the individuals included in its candidate program are “best positioned to win in November” and hail from all corners of the party.

“It’s imperative that Democrats must take back the House to hold Trump accountable and deliver on what truly matters to voters — lower costs and affordable healthcare,” DCCC spokesman Viet Shelton told Fox News Digital.

National Republicans have warned that messy Democratic primaries could hamper the party’s bid to retake House control in November.

“Their disastrous primaries have turned into a far-left free-for-all, and national Democrats stepping in will only deepen the chaos and alienate their far-left base,” NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella said in a statement.

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Progressives in the upper chamber have also sharply criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Democrats’ campaign arm for tacitly supporting more centrist candidates in key races.

Schumer’s strategy to recruit Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, in the state’s 2026 Senate contest appeared to blow up last week, when the two-term governor exited the race after her campaign failed to gain traction with Democratic primary voters. The lead Democrat issued a tepid endorsement of presumptive Democratic nominee Graham Platner, who is backed by leading progressives.

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump will sign a presidential memorandum Tuesday restoring the Presidential Fitness Test Award, according to the White House, reviving a competitive school-based fitness program phased out during the Obama administration.

The signing will be attended by members of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, as well as National Fitness Foundation board members including high-profile athletes including golfer Bryson DeChambeau, retired professional golfer Gary Player, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Amani Oruwariye and MLB pitcher Noah Syndergaard.

The move reintroduces a performance-based benchmark for student fitness, echoing the Trump administration’s broader “Make America Healthy Again” push. 

Trump first signed an executive order to reestablish the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition and the Presidential Fitness Test last year, with the memorandum on Tuesday paving the way for the administration to restore the test and awards at all American schools, Fox News Digital learned. 

TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER TO REESTABLISH PRESIDENTIAL FITNESS TEST

The revitalized award emphasizes measurable athletic performance standards similar to earlier versions of the test, which ranked students based on physical achievement, according to a copy of the National Physical Fitness Award obtained by Fox News Digital.

The original Presidential Physical Fitness Test was phased out during former President Barack Obama’s second term and replaced with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, part of the “Let’s Move” initiative. Critics at the time argued that the test focused too much on performance and competition, discouraging less athletic students.

The President’s Council on Youth Fitness was first established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower after studies showed American children were less physically fit than European peers. Schools began administering a fitness test under President John F. Kennedy, launching the President’s Council on Physical Fitness. 

WHOLE MILK HEADED BACK TO SCHOOL CAFETERIAS AFTER TRUMP SIGNS LAW AS EXPERTS TOUT BENEFITS

The Obama-era Presidential Youth Fitness Program focused “primarily on assessing health versus athleticism for America’s youth,” according to the Let’s Move website.

Fox News Digital reached out to the office of President Obama for comment.

More than 21% of Americans ages 2 to 19 were classified as obese between 2021 and 2023, while 7% of American youths had severe obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

SCHOOL MEALS RAISE EYEBROWS AS MAHA ADVOCATES URGE ‘DIFFERENT CHOICES IN THE LUNCH LINE’

Trump is expected to sign the memorandum in the Oval Office, followed by an event on the South Lawn with families and children to mark National Youth Sports and Fitness Month, Fox News Digital learned. 

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Cabinet secretaries including Dept. of War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, and Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon will also be in attendance.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., floated the prospect of more U.S. attacks against Iran, suggesting that a large, but brief effort to target the Islamic Republic’s “war machine” would be justified.

In a Monday Truth Social post, President Donald Trump declared, “Iran has taken some shots at unrelated Nations with respect to the Ship Movement, PROJECT FREEDOM, including a South Korean Cargo Ship. Perhaps it’s time for South Korea to come and join the mission! We’ve shot down seven small Boats or, as they like to call them, ‘fast’ Boats. It’s all they have left. Other than the South Korean Ship, there has been, at this moment, no damage going through the Strait.”

Sharing a screenshot of Trump’s post, Graham agreed in a Monday post on X.

“Spot on, Mr. President. The combination of Iran’s attack against UAE’s vital infrastructure and continued attacks on international shipping, including a South Korean cargo ship, more than justifies a big, strong and short response to inflict further damage on Iran’s war machine,” Graham asserted in his post on X.

TRUMP OPENS HORMUZ UNDER FIRE WITH ‘PROJECT FREEDOM’ AS IRAN WARNS OF ATTACKS

“The UAE has been a champion ally in this fight, doing everything that’s being asked of them and beyond. Iran’s recent brazen attack against the UAE tells me a lot about who’s in charge in Iran and the chance of a diplomatic solution any time soon. A forceful response on behalf of our ally, UAE, will reinforce that America is back as a reliable ally, helping to further wash away the damage caused by the Biden administration on this front,” the senator added.

Helicopters were utilized “just this morning to eliminate six Iranian small boats,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper noted on Monday.

MIKE WALTZ PUSHES UN RESOLUTION TO STOP IRAN MINING KEY GLOBAL SHIPPING ROUTE

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi declared in a post on X, “Events in Hormuz make clear that there’s no military solution to a political crisis. As talks are making progress with Pakistan’s gracious effort, the U.S. should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire by ill-wishers. So should the UAE. Project Freedom is Project Deadlock.”

The AAA national average price for regular gas has surged to $4.483 as of Tuesday.

“To the American people: I know gas prices are high, and I know we’re suffering right now. But you pay now, or you pay later against thugs like Iran. They tried to get a nuclear weapon, and if you don’t believe that you shouldn’t be allowed to drive in your hometown,” Graham said during a Monday night appearance on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity.”

‘KILLING OFF THE COUNTRY’: IRAN EXECUTES DOZENS, ARRESTS 4,000-PLUS IN WAR CRACKDOWN

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Graham is seeking re-election this year. President Trump endorsed the senator for re-election last year.

In two back-to-back arrests, Border Patrol agents arrested a pair of illegal aliens convicted of child sex offenses last week.

Agents near San Diego arrested an unnamed Mexican native last Monday who had been convicted in Jan. 2024 of contacting a minor with intent to commit a sex offense.

On Tuesday, CBP agents from the San Clemente Border Patrol Station detained a Guatemalan national convicted of assault and battery, as well as molesting a child.

‘AMERICANS FIRST’: ICE SWEEPS UP CHILD PREDATORS, RAPISTS ACROSS US AS MULLIN TAKES HELM OF DHS

“These arrests are a direct result of the proactive work our agents do every day to identify and remove these predators from our neighborhoods,” Justin De La Torre, San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent, said.

Agency officials praised the arrests, calling them demonstrative of the agency’s continued effectiveness under the new leadership of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, noting that the agency has arrested and removed thousands of criminal aliens from the country — including gang members, rapists, kidnappers, and drug traffickers—to make our communities safer.

BORDER AGENTS UNCOVER RPG LAUNCHER, CACHE OF RIFLES HIDDEN IN VEHICLE HEADING TO MEXICO

Mullin was appointed by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate last month. In March, CBP apprehended 8,200 illegal aliens, according to DHS.

“Keeping our communities safe is our highest priority, and the San Diego Sector will actively go after dangerous criminals, especially those guilty of heinous crimes against children,” De La Torre said.

CBP SEIZES MASSIVE METH HAUL WORTH MILLIONS STASHED IN SECRET TILE SHIPMENT

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The two illegal aliens are being processed for removal from the U.S., according to CBP officials.

With six months to go until the midterm elections, President Donald Trump‘s poll numbers remain underwater.

The two-month-long war with Iran, which public opinion surveys indicate is unpopular with many Americans, and a surge in gas prices as a direct result of the fighting have triggered a further slide in Trump’s approval ratings this spring.

The president’s polling woes are a political drag on his party as Republicans work to defend their slim Senate and razor-thin House majorities in this year’s elections. That’s because the presidential approval rating has long been a much-watched barometer of a president’s clout and how well his party may perform in the ensuing midterms.

But the frustrating figures are not a problem unique to Trump — his most recent predecessors in the White House also saw their negative numbers weigh down their parties in midterm showdowns.

WHAT OUR LATEST FOX NEWS NATIONAL POLL SHOWS

Trump stood at 42% approval and 51% disapproval in the latest Fox News national poll, which was conducted April 17–20. Some more recent surveys put the president’s approval rating in the mid to upper 30s, with his disapproval reaching or topping 60%.

The president’s approval is hovering just above 40%, with his disapproval above 56%, in an average of all the most recent national polls, according to a compilation from RealClearPolitics.

SIX MONTHS TILL MIDTERMS: THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE’S MAJORITY

“It may come as cold comfort to the White House, but there’s a tendency for voters to be harsh toward all presidents,” Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps conduct Fox News polls with Democrat Chris Anderson, noted.

He’s not kidding.

Four years ago, as he faced the 2022 midterm elections, then-President Joe Biden was also dealing with sky-high gas prices. His approval rating stood at 45%, with 53% disapproval, in a Fox News poll conducted in late April and early May 2022. And a RealClearPolitics average of all the national polls at that time put Biden’s numbers at 42%-53%.

DEMOCRATS BUILD MIDTERM MOMENTUM BUT REPUBLICANS STILL IN DRIVER’S SEAT IN SENATE MAJORITY BATTLE

Trump’s two most recent two-term predecessors were also well below water six months out from their second midterm elections.

Then-President Barack Obama stood at 43%-52% in early May 2014, and former President George W. Bush was deep into negative territory at 35%-59% at the same time in 2006.

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Republicans were shellacked in the 2006 midterms and Democrats were pummeled in the 2014 midterms.

While Biden’s anemic numbers did Democrats no favors in 2022, the party was able to beat expectations and hold their House majority thanks in part to the outsized emphasis on the issue of abortion, following a blockbuster opinion that summer by the Supreme Court’s conservative majority that scrapped the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, which had legalized abortion nationwide for a half century.

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, second-in-command to Gov. Tim Walz in Minnesota, flamed the Laken Riley Act before a cheering crowd at a “Stop Oligarchy” rally headlined by socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., over the weekend.

Flanagan, who is trailing behind Rep. Angie Craig in the latest RealClearPolitics polling average for the Democratic senatorial primary, is seeking to succeed retiring Sen. Tina Smith, who also reportedly endorsed her at the Rochester rally.

Flanagan name-dropped Alex Pretti and Renee Good, two anti-ICE activists shot and killed in law enforcement-involved shootings earlier this year, as the Land of 10,000 Lakes descended into anti-immigration enforcement chaos.

“We’ve got to zoom out for a second and we have to talk about how we got here, because this also wasn’t an accident. Donald Trump ran on an agenda where we knew that ICE would be more powerful,” Flanagan said.

WALZ DEPUTY ERUPTS AT ICE AND FELLOW DEM, TORCHES LAKEN RILEY ACT IN FIERY TWEETSTORM AS SCANDALS PILE UP

“This didn’t just sneak up on us. It wasn’t in the fine print. There were literally gigantic signs that said, mass deportees now. It was not a secret. And the very first vote in the second Trump administration that he brought forward was for the Laken Riley Act.”

Flanagan slammed the law, sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., as a vessel to strip due process from immigrants and allow for indefinite detention of adults and children.

“It was the green light to give ICE unprecedented power to totally terrorize our communities,” Flanagan went on.

TIM WALZ COMPARES MINNESOTA ICE ACTIONS TO HOLOCAUST AND ANNE FRANK: ‘HIDING IN THEIR HOUSES’

She added that she sees a “straight line” from the Laken Riley Act vote in Congress to unrest in communities like Minneapolis; praising Smith and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., for voting against it.

She criticized Craig for being the only Minnesota Democrat in either chamber to vote for the Laken Riley Act, while Craig said just last week that she now regrets her vote for the law.

Writing in the Minnesota Star Tribune, Craig said she cast her vote at a time she felt her constituents — in the suburbs of Minneapolis and Mankato — largely agreed the Biden administration had “fumbled the immigration issue.”

DEMOCRAT IN KEY SENATE PRIMARY SAYS SHE ‘REGRETS’ VOTE ON LAKEN RILEY ACT, DRAWS GOP BACKLASH

But, Craig added that she believes Trump is going beyond the scope of law to carry out “sweeping immigration raids that have terrorized Minnesotans” and therefore regrets her vote.

At the “Stop Oligarchy” rally, Sanders and Flanagan were joined by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, another key figure in the Minneapolis unrest.

The winner of the Flanagan-Craig bout will face the Republican nominee, as the GOP primary features former Houston Rockets forward Royce White and former NBC Sunday Night Football reporter Michele Tafoya.

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While Walz chose Flanagan as his running mate, several outlets including the Minnesota Reformer have reported on an alleged rift between the two stemming back to the aftermath of the governor’s failed vice presidential bid — which that outlet noted prevented Flanagan from rising to the governorship through the line of succession.

Fox News Digital reached out to Flanagan for additional comment and to Walz for any response to his deputy’s remarks.

Michigan Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel is backing a growing push to recount all votes cast during the state’s Democratic convention, admitting her own votes were improperly tallied.

The Michigan Democratic Party held its convention on Sunday, April 19, where more than 6,000 delegates gathered to vote on candidates to represent the party for statewide offices, including secretary of state, attorney general and university board of trustees members, in the general election in November. State Sen. Sylvia Santana called for an independent audit of the convention’s elections, alleging an investigation she led found “material errors” with the voting systems.

“I learned in the days immediately following the convention that the Election Buddy app did not correctly attribute my votes or my congressional district, and I immediately notified the impacted candidates and the state party chair,” Nessel wrote in a statement, affirming state Sen. Sylvia Santana’s calls for an independent audit.

But in her statement, Nessel shut down any effort to draw a “false equivalency” between failures in the Democratic Party’s internal voting systems and statewide elections.

BATTLEGROUND STATES’ RECOUNT RULES VARY WIDELY, HERE’S A LOOK AT HOW THEY WORK

“Those who traffic in election conspiracies will seek any and every opportunity to undermine public confidence in our elections, and while an audit is warranted in this circumstance, these results have no bearings on the veracity of state-run elections,” Nessel wrote in the statement.

The internal drama within the Michigan Democratic Party comes as Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her administration continue to push back against a Justice Department request for Wayne County’s 2024 voter data. The request from the Trump administration is part of a broader probe into alleged voter fraud in the county, highlighting concerns over election integrity.

Santana, who lost her bid to be a member of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees, filed a 53-page complaint about the convention’s voting process, alleging that 200 individuals cast votes remotely, which is prohibited under the convention’s rules. Cathy Albro, a former U.S. House candidate, had previously told The Detroit News that she voted in the convention’s electronic voting system from her home.

Santana’s investigation also found 302 voters who were not on the master voter list, and that 208 voters were registered to the same number with at least one other voter. The investigation also alleged votes being incorrectly tallied or not tallied at all.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald, who was vying to be the state’s top law enforcer, lost to Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit for the party’s attorney general nomination by a 59% to 41% vote. She took to Facebook to urge an independent audit of the election, backing Santana’s complaint.

“After reviewing the results of the MDP Endorsement Convention, it became clear that votes were incorrectly recorded, people voted who were not onsite, and some votes were not recorded at all,” McDonald posted on Facebook. “I strongly support Senator Santana’s request for an independent audit, and urge my Democratic colleagues across the state to support it as well. It is critical that every voter and every campaign have confidence in the vote.”

JAMES COMER INVESTIGATES REPORTS OF NONCITIZENS FOUND ON KEY SWING STATE’S VOTER ROLLS

The Michigan Democratic Party said in a statement to Fox News Digital that all Democratic candidates who participated in the party’s endorsement convention have until the end of May 4 to submit their appeals, but said it will not comment on the specifics of those appeals.

“Pursuant to our rules and bylaws, appeals are reviewed through an independent process conducted by an Appeals Committee,” a spokesperson for the Michigan Democratic Party said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The Committee will review submitted appeals and determine next steps. We are committed to following the appeals process and ensuring it is fair and independent.”

Meanwhile, the Michigan Republican Party is criticizing the Democratic Party over allegations of voter fraud.

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“Losing candidates are starting to take legal action against the Democrat Party, claiming the election were STOLEN from them after an investigation revealed that hundreds of ineligible voters took part in their recent endorsement convention,” MI GOP posted on X. “Democrats can’t even secure their own internal elections. What a mess!”

Fox News Digital reached out to McDonald, Santana, and Savit for comment.

FIRST ON FOX: Two men were sentenced Monday for charges related to orchestrating a sprawling $522 million fraud scheme that targeted Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers — using kickbacks, fake medical orders and DNA samples collected from patients across the country.

Reyad Salahaldeen, 57, of Buford, Georgia, was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. Mohamad Mustafa, 28, of Duluth, Georgia, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to paying illegal health care kickbacks, according to the Justice Department.

“Under the guise of health care, these two fraudsters attempted to steal more than half a billion dollars from taxpayers,” the Justice Department said.

Federal prosecutors said the scheme led to roughly $84 million in payouts from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers, highlighting the scale of fraud authorities say is draining taxpayer-funded health programs and driving a broader federal crackdown.

JURY CONVICTS FORMER NFL PLAYER KEITH J GRAY IN $328 MILLION MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME INVOLVING KICKBACKS

The scheme relied on a network of marketers who targeted individuals — many covered by Medicare — and persuaded them to take genetic tests by promoting them as free or medically important screenings, including for cancer risk.

Prosecutors said the tests were often not medically necessary and were ordered by medical providers who had not treated the patients and did not use the results in their care.

That allowed the laboratories to bill government health programs for costly tests that would not otherwise have been approved, officials said.

Both men were also ordered to pay substantial restitution. Salahaldeen was ordered to repay more than $84.5 million, while Mustafa must pay more than $64.3 million.

Salahaldeen also was ordered to forfeit more than $3 million from bank accounts, along with a 2019 GMC Yukon and properties in Texas and Georgia.

Mustafa was born in the United States, while Salahaldeen is a Palestinian national who became a lawful permanent resident in 2004, according to officials.

The scheme ran from 2018 through August 2020 and used a network of marketers making telemarketing calls, door-to-door outreach and health fairs to collect DNA samples and insurance information from patients.

Court documents say Salahaldeen controlled multiple laboratories across New Jersey, Georgia and Texas, including Express Diagnostics and BioConfirm Laboratories.

Prosecutors said marketers were paid illegal kickbacks to obtain genetic testing orders from medical providers who had not treated the patients and did not use the results in care.

Authorities said Salahaldeen falsified requisition forms, letters of medical necessity and other records to make the tests appear legitimate.

MAN CHARGED IN $90M MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME; DOJ SAYS SUSPECT MAY HAVE ENTERED US ILLEGALLY

Mustafa, who co-controlled some of the laboratories, helped carry out the scheme by paying kickbacks and creating sham contracts and invoices to disguise illegal payments as legitimate marketing services.

In total, the labs billed roughly $522 million in fraudulent claims. Government health programs and private insurers paid out approximately $84 million, officials said.

Authorities said Salahaldeen attempted to evade arrest after learning of the charges, traveling from North Carolina to Texas and attempting to cross into Mexico using another person’s identification before being apprehended at the border.

A TIMELINE OF THE ‘LARGEST COVID-19 FRAUD SCHEME’ IN THE UNITED STATE

Federal officials say many of the largest schemes are no longer isolated — but driven by organized networks coordinating across multiple states.

Authorities have pointed to major cases in recent years, including a COVID-19 pandemic-era fraud scheme in Minnesota that prosecutors allege siphoned more than $240 million in federal funds meant to feed children.

That case, known as Feeding Our Future, has led to dozens of charges and sentences of up to 28 years in prison.

Prosecutors say the scheme relied on shell nonprofits, fake meal counts and falsified records — tactics similar to those used in the genetic testing fraud case.

The case is part of a broader federal crackdown on health care fraud. Eleven additional co-conspirators — including marketers, nurse practitioners and doctors — already have been sentenced, receiving penalties ranging from probation to nearly four years in prison.

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Justice Department officials said the case reflects an intensified push to combat fraud under Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, chaired by Vice President JD Vance.

Since 2007, the DOJ’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program has charged more than 6,200 defendants responsible for over $45 billion in fraudulent billing, according to the department.

Attorney information for Salahaldeen and Mustafa was not immediately available.

President Donald Trump’s new nominee for surgeon general is exposing divisions in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, the health-focused coalition elevated inside the administration by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“The new surgeon general nominee, Dr. Nicole Saphier, may have a great pro-life testimony, but she gets an F when it comes to all things MAHA,” said Turning Point USA health and wellness podcaster Alex Clark — a comment shared by other MAHA activists like Kelly Ryerson, an anti-pesticide advocate also known online as “Glyphosate Girl.”

“DOGE the Surgeon General!!! We want medical freedom!!!! If not Casey – we take no one!” added Vani Hari, also known online as “Feed Babe” and a prominent figure inside the MAHA movement. 

She recently told The Atlantic that failing to confirm Means would “ruin the soul of MAHA.”

TRUMP SURGEON GENERAL NOMINEE CONFIRMATION HEARING POSTPONED AS SHE GOES INTO LABOR

After Trump’s initial pick for surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, was withdrawn in 2025, Trump selected Casey Means, a Stanford-trained physician, wellness author and entrepreneur, and vocal MAHA proponent who was close to Kennedy as he helped develop the Trump administration’s health agenda. 

Means’ nomination was withdrawn Thursday, and she was replaced with radiologist and former Fox News contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier amid a stalled confirmation process leading up to the eventual pivot.

Trump announced that Means’ nomination would be withdrawn from his Truth Social platform Thursday and replaced with Saphier amid the stalled confirmation process, in part caused by Means’ pregnancy during the process and the need for extensive vetting, a source familiar with the nomination told Fox News Digital. 

Minutes before Trump announced the pivot to Saphier on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump called Means “a strong MAHA Warrior, at the recommendation of Secretary Kennedy, who understands the MAHA Movement better than anyone.” 

Kennedy also praised Means as news was coming down that she would be replaced by Saphier. 

Meanwhile, the pair also lambasted moderate U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Chairman of the Senate’s powerful health committee in charge of getting the surgeon general nomination approved, for allegedly sabotaging Means’ nomination.

RFK JR. ‘WRONG’ ABOUT VACCINATIONS, GOP SENATOR SAYS

Delays and concerns about Means’ qualifications and views on vaccines, among other things, slowed down the process, until, according to a source familiar with the confirmation process, it was determined that not enough support would be garnered to secure Means’ appointment. 

Saphier has been described by Trump as “an INCREDIBLE COMMUNICATOR” who “will do great things for our Country,” and Kennedy has also publicly supported Saphier’s nomination. But MAHA activists became alarmed by the decision to withdraw Means’ nomination.

Clark described Saphier as a “catastrophic mistake” at a time when the MAHA coalition is “very fragile.”

“She is one of the most pro-vaccine advocates in medicine, even defending Hep B on the first day of life,” Clark wrote on X. “My position isn’t to replace Dr. Saphier. It’s to completely DOGE the Surgeon General role. If we don’t, we risk accelerating the loss of one of the most activated voting blocs the GOP is already watching slip away.”

“Doge the SG!!!!” Hari said in a post on X Sunday, lamenting that the pivot is just “more of the same.”

“We’re seeing a system that protects itself,” she added, according to The Washington Post. “A system that says it wants change but recoils the moment real change shows up.”

REMOVING ONE FOOD INGREDIENT FROM YOUR HOME IS FIRST STEP TO ‘DOING MAHA,’ INFLUENCER SAYS

“I am so proud of Casey, and the way she conducted herself during this process,” her brother, Calley Means, another early leader within the MAHA movement said on X before laying into Cassidy. “I am also proud to work for the Trump admin, who has marshaled the disruptive MAHA message and driven victories against dark forces personified by Bill Cassidy.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Saphier for comment on the criticism that she is not skeptical enough of vaccines, but did not hear back. 

White House spokesperson Kush Desai said Saphier has been “an outspoken voice” against “intrusive COVID-19 mandates, the politicization of science, and the federal government’s role in America’s chronic disease epidemic.”

“She will be a powerful asset … to deliver on every facet of (the president’s) MAHA agenda.”

Others aligned with the MAHA world appeared less concerned with Means’ departure, such as the Independent Medical Alliance, which is anti-pesticide, promotes questions about vaccine efficacy and supported two of Kennedy’s picks for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory panel.

TRUMP FDA NOMINEE TURNS VACCINE QUESTION ON DEM, RECALLING CONTROVERSIAL BIDEN DECISION

Dr. Joseph Varon, the group’s president and chief medical officer, said Saphier was “exactly who America needs,” describing her as “a real doctor, treating real patients, who has the spine to tell the truth even when it’s unpopular.”

Dr. Robert Malone, a leading contrarian to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and lockdown measures and a supporter of the broader MAHA movement, described Saphier as “moderate-MAHA” in a blog on his Substack.

Malone also attempted to assuage fears Saphier is too pro-vaccine.

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“This is the part MAHA readers care about most, and it is the part where Saphier’s record is most genuinely mixed,” Malone wrote on his blog. 

“She is pro-individual-vaccine on the merits. She is supportive of parental autonomy on schedule. She is critical of universal pediatric mandates absent benefit data. She is explicitly sympathetic to MAHA’s vaccine-safety-surveillance reform agenda,” he continued. “She is not, in any reading I can construct from the documentary record, an anti-vaccine voice in the medical-freedom register that, say, Children’s Health Defense operates in. She is also not, in any reading I can construct, a CDC-establishment-defending voice of the kind Cassidy is looking for.”

Kennedy, known for being a vaccine skeptic, faced backlash when he attempted to make formal changes to the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule — changes ultimately blocked by the courts. 

Fox News Digital reached out to MAHA Action, whose founder Tony Lyons fought against moderate GOP Senators, like Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Ak., who were not supportive of Means’ nomination, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

FIRST ON FOX: A woman was allegedly sent back to a federal prison after objecting to rooming with a biological male sex offender at a Rhode Island halfway house, according to a public records request obtained by Fox News Digital.

The conservative America First Legal asked the Bureau of Prisons on Monday in a public records request, obtained by Fox News Digital, for information about the re-incarceration of Sarah Cavanaugh, who had been serving out the remainder of her sentence at Houston House, a halfway house in Rhode Island operated by the nonprofit Community Resources for Justice. 

The request raised concerns about whether Bureau of Prisons contractors were complying with President Donald Trump’s day-one directive that agencies make sure biological men are not detained in women’s prisons, part of the administration’s broader effort to tighten policies surrounding transgender people.

“Men should not share intimate spaces with women; this includes in our federal prisons,” Emily Percival, AFL senior counsel, said in a statement. “The BOP has a duty to provide for the safekeeping, care, and protection of federal inmates.”

BLUE STATES CALLED OUT BY WOMEN’S GROUP FOR IGNORING RISKS POSED BY TRANSGENDER INMATES

Percival accused the Bureau of Prisons of “[shirking its] duty when it allowed its contractor to send a woman back to prison after she raised concerns with sharing a room with a biological male convicted of a heinous sex crime.”

Cavanaugh, who had been sentenced to about six years in prison in 2023 for a stolen valor conviction, was transferred to Houston House by the Bureau of Prisons after the agency determined she was a good candidate for the move. While there, Cavanaugh learned last August that she would be assigned a new roommate named Haley Lynn Rose, according to AFL’s records request. After searching the name online, Cavanaugh discovered the individual was named Anthony Ninfo, a male who pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in 2024.

Cavanaugh raised concerns with staff, expressing discomfort about sharing a room with a man convicted of a sex offense, AFL’s filing said. Staff told her to follow up with the facility’s management, but the following day she was instead given an accusatory incident report charging that she had violated conditions of being at the halfway house, according to AFL.

The incident report said, according to AFL, that Cavanaugh created “a hostile environment for the [transgender felon], and [overstepped] boundaries by inquiring about the gender identity, genitalia, charges, and room assignment of another Houston House resident.”

TRUMP IS RETURNING SANITY TO THE GENDER CONVERSATION

The report stated that “asserting [sic] preferences regarding room assignments is inappropriate.”

As a result of the incident, Cavanaugh’s placement at the halfway house was revoked, and she was returned to prison for six months, AFL said.

The legal group wrote in its complaint that the alleged incident was at odds with Trump’s executive order titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” which states that only two sexes exist and that inmates must be separated by sex.

The case comes amid ongoing legal challenges from civil rights groups over the implementation of Trump’s order. While some provisions have faced lawsuits, courts have allowed certain aspects affecting prison housing policies to move forward.

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Citing the Freedom of Information Act, AFL asked the Bureau of Prisons for records related to staff interactions with Cavanaugh, the incident report issued to her, actions taken against her, and the Bureau of Prisons’ contractual relationship with Houston House.

The Bureau of Prisons said in a statement to Fox News Digital that it could not provide more information on Cavanaugh because of privacy reasons.

“For privacy, safety, and security reasons, the BOP does not release information regarding the conditions of confinement for any incarcerated individual,” a BOP spokesperson said. “However, we can share that the BOP is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all individuals in our population, our employees, and the public. Humane treatment of the men and women in our custody is a top priority. The BOP is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, impartiality, and professionalism in the operation of its facilities.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Houston House and Community Resources for Justice for comment.

A coalition of civil rights groups filed a new lawsuit on Monday seeking to halt parts of a Texas law that would allow police officers in the Lone Star State to arrest migrants suspected of crossing into the U.S. across the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.

The law is set to take effect next week after a federal appeals court vacated a lower court ruling last week that had prevented its enforcement since 2024. In that ruling, he appeals court vacated an injunction that had blocked the law, finding that the plaintiffs did not have standing to sue.

Senate Bill 4 established a state-level crime for entering the country illegally and authorized state magistrates to order certain individuals to leave the country if they are convicted.

Courts have long maintained that immigration enforcement has historically been treated as the responsibility of the federal government, but Texas Republicans attempted to challenge that precedent when they approved S.B. 4.

TEXAS BILL REQUIRING SHERIFFS TO COLLABORATE WITH ICE GIVEN INITIAL APPROVAL BY STATE HOUSE

The Texas Civil Rights Project, American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Texas argued that the law is unconstitutional, noting that immigration law is exclusively the responsibility of the federal government and that federal law should preempt the state law.

The groups are attempting to block four provisions of S.B. 4 — the creation of a crime for re-entering the country illegally, even if a person has since obtained legal status such as a green card; granting state magistrates authority to issue deportation orders; the creation of a crime for failing to comply with a magistrate’s deportation orders; and the requirement that magistrates continue a prosecution even if a person has a pending immigration case under federal law, such as an asylum claim.

“Our fight against S.B. 4 isn’t over until justice wins,” Kate Gibson Kumar, an attorney at the Texas Civil Rights Project, said in a statement. “S.B. 4 is not only unconstitutional, but a vile law that uses our Texas resources to harm communities across our state. The Texas Civil Rights Project will keep fighting to protect Texas communities from the wrath of S.B. 4.”

Cody Wofsy, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, argued that S.B. 4 is “cruel and illegal,” adding that the groups “will keep fighting it until it is permanently struck down.”

“Every court to have reached the merits of laws like S.B. 4 has found them to be unconstitutional,” he said.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

The law is scheduled to go into effect on May 15 unless another court takes action.

“S.B. 4 would transform our police and judges into immigration agents — threatening neighbors who have families here, who have lived here for years, even those who have legal status,” said Adriana Piñon, legal director at the ACLU of Texas. “Immigration enforcement is exclusively the federal government’s arena, and no state has ever claimed the power Texas threatens to wield here. We are taking this back to court to defend our Texas communities.”

TRUMP DOJ DROPS BIDEN-ERA CHALLENGE TO TEXAS BORDER SECURITY LAW

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Monday’s lawsuit is the latest legal challenge to the Texas law, which was passed by state lawmakers amid an uptick in migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border during the Biden administration.

Another lawsuit had been led by some of the same advocacy groups that filed Monday’s challenge. The Biden administration also initially sought to halt the law in 2024 before the Trump administration terminated the Department of Justice’s involvement in the lawsuit last year as part of the president’s mass deportation agenda.

Scott Singer, the former Republican mayor of Boca Raton and a candidate for Congress in Florida, is touting a significant campaign fundraising haul while outlining to Fox News Digital the reasons why he believes there is reason for optimism for the GOP in November. 

Singer’s first-quarter fundraising numbers in the 2026 cycle showed him significantly outraising incumbent Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., by a nearly 3-to-1 margin, along with slightly more cash on hand, despite being a first-time candidate.

As a result of Florida’s new redistricting push, Singer recently announced he will be running in the redrawn 25th congressional district, and it is unclear which district Moskowitz will decide to run in, but Singer tells Fox News Digital he is “very pleased” with the financial support he’s gotten from almost 3,600 contributors

“We’re very pleased that we had an amazing fundraising quarter, one of the best of any Republican challenger in the nation,” Singer said. “I think it’s going well because people are really enthused about our candidacy. I think people are ready for change. They’re upset with the progress of Congress.”

GOP LAWMAKER RALLIES AROUND TRUMP’S TAX-CUT CAMPAIGN AS COMPETITIVE 2026 HOUSE RACE LOOMS: ‘BIG ISSUE’

With most pundits predicting a tough time for Republicans in the upcoming midterms as they attempt to hold a razor-thin majority in the House and tight majority in the Senate along with historical headwinds, Singer says he sees “great reason for optimism” as he campaigns in his race.

 “We have a strong economy, the strongest we’ve had in years, record growth in GDP inflation before the latest blip, which is temporary because of the Iran conflict,” Singer explained. “Inflation was at the lowest level we had for years and voters understand that it was the one unchecked runaway inflation under President Biden that put us in this situation.”

VOTERS SAY REPUBLICANS OUTDO DEMOCRATS ON THESE KEY ISSUES: FOX NEWS POLL

Singer continued, “President Trump and the administration have done so much to bring prices down across the board, and cutting regulations will continue to do that. The biggest tax cut in American history is reaching American taxpayers right now, with huge refunds going to individuals and the average refund for 12 million small businesses of $7,000 and that was done with every Democrat in Congress voting against it.”

Singer told Fox News Digital the GOP is now the “party of the middle” class thanks to tax-cutting policies for tips and overtime, and said he believes those “real benefits” will continue to take effect over the next year. 

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“I think people are going to be more optimistic,” Singer said. “If you look at so many objective indicators and not the panic that some media outlets put out there, things are great and when you interview voters and ask them about policies, they lean more to the right. They support the Republican agenda. That’s why I feel very optimistic, and I think other candidates, if we focus on the agenda and less on what the media would have us buy into comments about personality, it really affects what we’re doing on paychecks and what we are doing on the border.”

Republicans currently hold a razor-thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives heading into the 2026 midterms, one of the narrowest controlling margins in nearly a century, with Democrats widely believed to be holding an edge, especially given the party in power historically sees losses in midterm elections.

Aggressive redistricting by both parties in states across the country has complicated the situation even further.

Democrats have been hammering President Trump and the Republican Party on high gas prices and the economy, and a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee pushed back on the Republican agenda in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“Florida Republicans knew they couldn’t win on their cost-raising, billionaire-first, wildly unpopular agenda that’s crushing working families and small businesses, which is why they’re desperate to gerrymander the maps and rig the midterms,” DCCC spokesperson Nebeyatt Betre said. “Any Republican who claims the GOP’s price-spiking policies are popular only proves the fact they have no idea what voters are feeling right now.” 

New Jersey Democratic congressional candidate Rebecca Bennett walked away from questions about political violence against President Donald Trump in a video circulating online, as a person with her repeatedly told the questioner to “get a life.”

The video was shared by the Libs of TikTok account and shows a man approaching Bennett and asking whether she condemns attempts to harm the president. Bennett does not respond and continues walking as a woman accompanying her addresses the questioner.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Bennett, do you think that people should stop trying to kill the president?” the man is heard asking.

As he continues, the woman accompanying Bennett can be heard attempting to drown him out by singing.

REPUBLICANS CRITICIZE DEM CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE’S ’86 47′ POST AS CALL FOR ‘POLITICAL VIOLENCE’

“Oh my God. Dude, get a life. Get a life, dude,” the person says in the video.

Bennett is then seen walking away and heading toward a vehicle, partially obscured at times by a blue sign, as the questioning continues.

Bennett’s campaign told Fox News Digital that she “has and always will condemn political violence against President Trump.”

PATRICIA HEATON URGES ‘FRIENDS ON THE LEFT’ TO TONE DOWN EXTREME RHETORIC AFTER WHCD SHOOTING

The campaign also pointed to a post Bennett shared on X on April 26.

“Last night’s attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was an act of political violence, and I condemn it unequivocally,” Bennett wrote. “Political violence has no place in our democracy.”

“I’m grateful to the Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers who responded with extraordinary courage, who acted immediately to neutralize the threat,” she added. “Their bravery kept hundreds of people safe last night, and I’m relieved that everyone went home to their families.”

DEM IN TRUMP DISTRICT RACE SCRUBS SOCIAL MEDIA OF POSTS PRAISING PROGRESSIVES: ‘SCAM ARTIST’

“My thoughts are with everyone who was at the dinner last night.”

The Navy veteran and current member of the Air National Guard made news last year as a Democrat running for Congress who positioned herself as a moderate in a bid to unseat sitting Republican Thomas Kean Jr. in a pro-Trump district.

A Fox News Digital review of Bennett’s X account — created in July 2011 and converted from @BigRedBecks to @RebeccaForNJ07 — shows several deleted posts that appear to diverge from that “moderate” label, including praise for progressive Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

“Love her,” Bennett wrote in a now-deleted post about Warren in 2019.

Bennett also deleted posts praising former Vice President Kamala Harris after she was announced as then-former Vice President Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020.

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During the civil unrest that followed the death of George Floyd in 2020, Bennett wrote in a now-deleted post that she agreed with a comment from former Obama campaign strategist David Plouffe calling for investigations into law enforcement responses.

Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.

Joe Kaufman knows what it’s like to lose a close race in a historically Democratic District. In fact, in the 2024 election cycle, Kaufman ran in the closest congressional race in the state, narrowly losing in the 23rd district to incumbent Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., a two-term congressman who has sought to build a moderate profile.

Florida has just completed its redistricting process, and this time around, Kaufman is confident that he can win, despite the Republicans facing headwinds.

Kaufman confirmed to Fox News Digital that in 2026, he will be running in the new 25th District, although it remains unclear exactly who his opponent will be or if he faces a primary challenger.

Moskowitz said on Monday that if he runs, it will be in the 25th District, while it appears that incumbent Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., who would be seeking her 12th term in Congress, is also weighing running in the same district.

DEMOCRAT PRAISES STEVE SCALISE FOR QUICK ACTION DURING WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING

Kaufman brings a battle-tested strategy and message to the race, on the heels of his near-victory in 2024:

“Yes, we had 48% of the vote. It was the closest race in all of Florida and the highest percentage of any Republican to ever run for that seat. But back then, I got in very late in the game and this time around our numbers are much better, and we’ve been able to form those coalitions that we needed to last time. We’ve done that now, and I will win this seat this time.”

Kaufman bills himself as a “terrorist hunter” and brings strong foreign policy credentials to the table.

“I do counter-terrorism research, writing and lectures.” He says he’s been involved in “the shutdown of terrorist charities and the imprisonment of terror-related individuals. Recently, I led the shutdown of a pro-Hamas conference that was to take place in Coral Springs, and the organizers, including CAIR and the South Florida Muslim Federation, they were upset, so they sued me and the Marriott Corporation in federal court. They sued us not once, but twice and I’m proud to say that we won not once, but twice.”

“He says in regard to foreign policy, “I’ve been very involved these past few years in what’s been taking place. 17 years ago, I was honored to co-found a group called Cyrus Force with his majesty, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who we believe is going to be soon to be a future leader of Iran.”

Despite being a foreign policy hawk, Kaufman is opposed to putting troops on the ground in Iran.

“No, I don’t support ground troops, at least not from the United States. I don’t want to see what took place in wars past happen here with seeing Americans come back in body bags. I feel the same way about our friends in Israel. 

“But there are third parties that want to get involved, and I say, give them the green light to do so. So, if there’s any ground troops…they shouldn’t be from America or Israel. It should be from these third parties.”

Kaufman is a strong advocate for vocational training in high school, and a critic of the Affordable Care Act.

“Well, for one thing, I support putting vocational training in all of the high schools in America. And it’s a project I want to initiate as a congressman. Too many kids today are staying home with their parents after they graduate high school. They need to have real job skills so they could make money, get out of their parents’ homes, be able to have their own families, and eventually, purchase their own house of their own. 

“Also, I don’t like the Affordable Care Act. It was never affordable. It’s been taking hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies, thanks to the Democrats. And I think we need a new health care system that costs the American government less and costs the American taxpayer less and better quality. And I think we could have that without Obamacare.”

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Historically, the party of the incumbent president loses seats in midterm elections the vast majority of the time. In what is widely believed to be a difficult year ahead for Republicans, Kaufman acknowledges the current engagement in Iran and the lingering effects of Biden-era inflation as challenges.

“Well, a lot of it has to do with the war overseas, but I believe that that’s going to be short term. I think that’s, that’s going to end soon. Also, with regards to inflation, we’re still dealing with the Biden years where Joe Biden initiated very heavy inflation for our country.

“And thank you, President Trump, for doing the things that would bring inflation down. So I’m looking forward to low inflation, better affordability and very soon an end to the war, and results overseas that allow us to have peace in the Middle East and more peace in world.”

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Kaufman says the Democratic Party is fundamentally broken, and Republicans can win on messaging in 2026.

“Well, the Democrats, they’ve allowed people, an untold amount of people, to cross our borders, some of which have been terrorists and members of terror cells. They’ve hurt the values in the United States. They’ve destroyed our healthcare system with an Affordable Care Act that was never affordable. They’ve done everything possible to destroy our nation, and we need to make that change.”