NationalWatch

California Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s book tour will take him early next month to New Hampshire, the state that’s traditionally held the nation’s first presidential primary for a century.

The Portsmouth Music Hall announced on Thursday that California’s two-term Democratic governor will present his new book, “Young Man in a Hurry,” on Thursday, at their theater on March 5.

It’s a sure bet that the stop along New Hampshire’s Seacoast will generate more buzz about Newsom’s national ambitions and the likelihood that he’ll launch a bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, in the race to succeed term-limited President Donald Trump.

Newsom’s stature in his own party has soared over the past year, thanks to his very vocal and visual pushback against the president, including his viral social media trolling of Trump and his successful California push to counter the Republican congressional redistricting effort.

THE 2028 WHITE HOUSE RACE IS ALREADY UNDERWAY

“Newsom has shown an ability to stand up to Trump in a bold and highly effective manner without shying away from core democratic values,” veteran Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo told Fox News Digital.

Newsom was treated like a VIP as he held meetings and mingled with party delegates during the opening day of the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) winter meeting, which was held in Los Angeles in December. And Newsom held meetings with the Democratic Party chairs from New Hampshire and Nevada, another crucial early voting state.

“We had a great discussion on a wide range of issues,” longtime New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley told Fox News Digital.

DEMOCRATIC HEAVYWEIGHTS TURN HEADS, SPARK 2028 SPECULATION

Newsom has acknowledged that he’s mulling a presidential bid, telling CBS News last year he would “seriously consider” following the 2026 midterms and that he’d be “lying” if he said otherwise.

Newsom is one of more than a dozen Democrats viewed as potential 2028 White House contenders. And many of them have been paying visits to New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina, which held the first sanctioned Democratic presidential primary in the 2024 election cycle. Newsom stopped in South Carolina last summer.

A New Hampshire-based Democratic strategist who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely shared that he and other activists in the state for months have been receiving fundraising emails on a regular basis from some of the White House hopefuls.

“Every week I receive a dozen,” the strategist said.

VANCE AMPLIFIES HIS 2026 MESSAGE WHILE LANDING KEY 2028 BACKING

Kathy Sullivan, a former New Hampshire Democratic Party chair and former DNC committee member, told Fox News Digital that “successful candidates in New Hampshire start early here and get to know the activists. They find out what issues are important to people in New Hampshire.”

Sullivan said the early trips to New Hampshire by the potential contenders “show that they’re putting the work in to take the whole process seriously and know they need to do the hard work to win the primary.”

The California governor was last in New Hampshire in July 2024, to support then-President Joe Biden in the days after Biden’s disastrous debate performance against Trump. Newsom was a top surrogate for Biden, and later for then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced Biden as the party’s standard-bearer after Biden dropped his re-election run amid questions about his physical and mental durability.

Harris, a fellow Californian who is also currently on a book tour, is also mulling a potential 2028 presidential run.

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Among the other Democrats seen as possible presidential candidates are Govs. JB Pritzker of Illinois, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Wes Moore of Maryland and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan; Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly of Arizona, and Chris Murphy of Connecticut; progressive superstar Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rep. Ro Khanna of California, another leading progressive; and two moderate Democrats, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and former White House chief of staff and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons revealed that there are about 1.6 million illegal aliens with final deportation orders in the U.S., half of whom have criminal convictions.

During testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday, Lyons said, “What we’re tracking right now is about 1.6 million final [deportation] orders in the United States, with approximately 800,000 of those having criminal convictions.”

Lyons clarified that these deportation orders have not been issued by ICE or the Department of Homeland Security. Rather, Lyons said the orders have come “through an immigration judge with the Department of Justice separate from Immigration Customs Enforcement.”

The director added that “there’s 16,840 final orders at large in the state of Minnesota.”

ACTING ICE DIRECTOR DEFENDS AGENCY’S FOCUS ON TARGETING CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS, DETAILS THREAT TO AGENTS

Lyons revealed this during questioning by Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla. Lankford asked Lyons to communicate his gratitude to the men and women in immigration enforcement, commenting, “Two years ago, we had 10,000 people a day illegally crossing into the country, two years ago, 10,000 people a day not vetted, had no idea who they were.”

Lankford also pointed out that “70,000 people were estimated by the Biden administration to come in in 2024 that were special interest aliens that had a locational connection to terrorism.”

“But we had no idea who they were. They were allowed to be able to come into the country two years ago,” he lamented.

SCOOP: THOUSANDS OF VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED IN MINNESOTA AS ADMIN VOWS ‘WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN’

This comes as ICE faces intense criticism from Democrats over their operations, especially in Minnesota, where two activists, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed in altercations with federal officers. Democrats have threatened defund DHS unless the agency changes its approach to enforcement.

Lankford remarked, “We’re losing perspective of what’s really happened.”

“The work that the men and women that work around you have done have stopped that chaos,” Lankford said to Lyons.

TRUMP DHS HAMMERS DEM GOVERNOR’S PORTAL TO TRACK ICE AGENTS: ‘ENCOURAGES VIOLENCE’

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“There are thousands of arrests that are happening in a day that are happening by the book,” he continued. “And what’s happening is a group of protesters that are protesting and agitating, and some of them running into churches and disturbing church services and saying, ‘It’s my First Amendment right to shut down your church during a service.’ And saying they’re a peaceful protester while they throw rocks at agents, it just gets old.” 

FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) arrested an illegal migrant who was charged with rape, purchasing sex with a minor, and sexual abuse in Oregon, after the migrant was released on bail by sanctuary policies.

Manuel Cruz-Ramirez, who still faces the slew of charges, was not referred to immigration officers upon his arrest and release due to Marion County’s sanctuary status. 

The illegal immigrant from Mexico was apprehended only because he was using a fraudulent Mexican passport at the Portland International Airport. TSA and CBP agents were flagged when his falsified name did not return full data, according to DHS.

“Manuel Cruz-Ramirez was arrested for rape, purchasing sex with a minor, and sexual abuse in Oregon,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital. “The state’s sanctuary politicians allowed this pedophile to be released from jail back into American communities.”

TRUMP URGES DHS, ICE TO PUBLICIZE ARRESTS, SAYS CRACKDOWN IS ‘SAVING MANY INNOCENT LIVES’

In non-sanctuary cities, Cruz-Ramirez would have referred to immigration officers, who would have apprehended him before he was released from detention. 

“Americans can be proud of the swift actions of TSA and CBP for protecting them and our judicial system by preventing this monster from fleeing the country,” McLaughlin explained. “Criminal illegal aliens should not be released from jails back onto our streets to terrorize more innocent Americans.

“Oregon’s sanctuary politicians must stop this reckless insanity of releasing child predators from jail back into our neighborhoods to prey on more innocent children,” she added.

DHS DEMANDS MN LEADERS HONOR ICE DETAINERS, ALLEGES HUNDREDS OF CRIMINAL ALIENS HAVE BEEN RELEASED UNDER WALZ

DHS also told Fox News Digital that Cruz-Ramirez had been deported from the U.S. in 2018, though he re-entered the country at an unknown location and time. He is now in ICE custody and his removal order has been re-instated.

Portland has been one of several cities where agitators have mobilized to confront and protest federal law enforcement.

On Thursday, Fox News Digital reported that DHS launched an investigation into an Oregon resident who was arrested during a traffic stop with knives and materials to make Molotov cocktails.

DHS URGES NEWSOM TO HONOR ICE DETAINERS AFTER FEDERAL AGENT ASSAULTED WHILE ARRESTING ILLEGAL ALIEN AT JAIL

The 18-year-old Oregon resident allegedly authored a manifesto with the intention of killing ICE at a Portland ICE office. The individual reportedly told authorities that he was planning on picking up an AR-15 rifle to carry out the attack.

Democrats, including those in Congress, have referred to ICE agents as Nazis and gestapo, and the Trump administration has said that such rhetoric is endangering the lives of law enforcement officers across the country.

During an interview with Fox News Digital earlier this month, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem noted the difference between some cities and those which are controlled by far-left leaders, saying that in cities where authorities cooperate with federal law enforcement there is far less conflict. 

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“Minneapolis and St. Paul, the Twin Cities, have an opportunity to do the same thing that Memphis did. There we had a Democrat mayor who worked with us,” Noem told Fox News Digital. “It was about the same size as a city, about the same amount of federal law enforcement officers were there, and we dramatically cut crime and murder rates and partnered well together.”

Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.

Alleged members of “foreign terrorist cartel” Tren de Aragua may be brought back to the U.S. after their deportations in 2025, and it could come at taxpayers’ expense.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who has repeatedly butted heads with the Trump administration, ordered the Trump administration Thursday to facilitate the return of 137 migrants deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador, CECOT, in 2025. 

Boasberg stipulated in his ruling that the government pay for the migrants’ airfare back to the U.S., meaning taxpayers are likely footing the bill. 

Boasberg argued that it’s “unclear why Plaintiffs should bear the financial cost of their return in such an instance,” noting that “this situation would never have arisen had the Government simply afforded Plaintiffs their constitutional rights before initially deporting them.”

FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS DEPORTED VENEZUELANS TO BE RETURNED TO US

The ruling comes as part of a nearly year-long saga during which the federal judge attempted to halt the Trump administration’s deportation of migrants to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act in March 2025. 

The Supreme Court ultimately allowed the Trump administration to continue using the Alien Enemies Act to carry out deportations in April but ordered that detainees receive notice and an opportunity to challenge allegations.

Boasberg has since been wading through legal avenues with the men in El Salvador, issuing a ruling in December that the Trump administration denied them due process. 

It is unclear how many of the men will actually take the offer and return to the U.S., with Boasberg noting that the noncitizens “would be detained upon arrival” back to the U.S. 

Similar to Boasberg’s ruling, another federal judge this month ordered the Trump administration to pay for the return of three migrant families the judge ruled ICE unlawfully deported by a 2023 humanitarian parole settlement. 

TRUMP ADMIN ASKS BOASBERG FOR MORE TIME TO DETAIL CECOT PLANS AFTER MADURO OUSTER

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital Thursday in response to the ruling that the illegal aliens in El Salvador were removed under proper legal authority, before taking a shot as Boasberg. 

“Nothing has changed; in addition to being in our country illegally, these aliens are foreign terrorists designated as alien enemies by the president,” McLaughlin told Fox News Digital. 

TRUMP ADMIN SAYS MADURO CAPTURE REINFORCES ALIEN ENEMIES ACT REMOVALS

“They were removed under the proper legal authorities. This case is no longer about the facts or law but about Judge Boasberg’s crusade to stop President Trump from doing the will of the American People. He has been shut down by appellate courts again and again on this case.”

Boasberg has become a prime target for Republicans over a string of rulings tied to Trump-era policies, including the Trump administration backing a potential judicial impeachment of the judge and other “rogue” judges in January. 

The migrants in El Salvador were removed under The Alien Enemies Act, which is a 1798 wartime immigration law the Trump administration invoked to deport violent gang members with alleged ties to criminal organizations, such as Tren de Aragua (TdA). 

TdA, as well as MS-13, were designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration’s State Department in February 2025. 

The administration has described those deported to the notoriously secure prison in El Salvador as “violent savages” and terrorists who pose a threat to U.S. security. 

A previous analysis of 238 migrants deported to El Salvador found six faced attempted murder, assault, armed robbery, gun possession or domestic battery charges in the U.S., the Texas Tribune reported in May 2025. 

Thirty-two other deportees had been convicted in the U.S. of crimes, many of which were nonviolent, according to the outlet.

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DHS has said deportees labeled “‘non-criminals” by the media are “terrorists, human rights abusers, gang members and more — they just don’t have a rap sheet in the U.S.” 

Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz is demanding that the federal government “pay for what they broke” after the Trump administration announced it would draw down its immigration enforcement presence in the Twin Cities.

During a press conference following Border Czar Tom Homan’s announcement that the administration would be ending its “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota, Walz said that federal law enforcement’s presence in the state was leaving “deep damage” and “generational trauma.”

“The federal government needs to pay for what they broke here,” said Walz. “There [is] going to be accountability on the things that happened, but one of the things is, the incredible and immense costs that were borne by the people of this state. The federal government needs to be responsible: You don’t get to break things, and then just leave without doing something about it.”

“So, we’re going to be asking the federal delegation to be investing and doing the things necessary,” he added.

TRUMP DHS HAMMERS DEM GOVERNOR’S PORTAL TO TRACK ICE AGENTS: ‘ENCOURAGES VIOLENCE’

Walz, who is best known for being former Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in the 2024 election, has been at odds with the administration throughout much of the operation, which was meant to crack down on rampant fraud and abuse in the state.

Regarding the federal drawdown, Walz said, “We are cautiously optimistic … that this surge of untrained, aggressive federal agents are going to leave Minnesota, and I guess they’ll go wherever they’re going to go.”

“The fact of the matter is, they left us with deep damage, generational trauma, they left us with economic ruin in some cases, they left us with many unanswered questions: Where are our children? Where and what is the process of the investigations into those that were responsible for the deaths of Renee and Alex?” he continued.

“So, while the federal government may move on to whatever next thing that they want to do, the State of Minnesota and our administration is unwaveringly focused on the recovery of what they did.”

HOUSE DEM EXPLODES ON TOP TRUMP IMMIGRATION OFFICIAL, SAYS HE ‘BETTER HOPE’ FOR PARDON FROM PRESIDENT

Homan announced Thursday that the administration will conclude Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota. Homan told reporters during a news conference at the Bishop Whipple Federal in Minneapolis that the operation succeeded in reducing public safety threats with “unprecedented levels of coordination” from state officials and local law enforcement.

“As a result of our efforts here, Minnesota is now less of a sanctuary state for criminals,” Homan said, adding, “I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude.”

Homan said “a significant drawdown” of immigration agents was already underway and will continue through next week.

The border czar announced last week that 700 federal officers would leave Minnesota, though 2,000 officers will remain. He cited improved cooperation with jails and said a complete drawdown was the goal, but it was “contingent upon the end of illegal and threatening activities against ICE.”

ICE ARRESTS MURDERERS, PEDOPHILES DURING SUPER BOWL WEEKEND AS AGENTS SAY HALFTIME SHOW ‘DEMONIZED’ THEM

He said only a “small footprint of personnel” will remain for a period of time, while he will also remain on the ground to oversee the operation’s drawdown and success.

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“Additionally, federal government personnel assigned to conduct criminal investigations into the agitators, as well as the personnel assigned here for the fraud investigations, will remain in place until the work is done,” Homan said.

Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is making an example of former President Barack Obama for encouraging voters and lawmakers to reject adopting national voter ID laws. 

“You know how badly the Democrats are panicking when they bring out Obama to spread lies about voter ID,” Leavitt posted to X Thursday. “The fact is that nearly 90% of voters support” voter ID laws, she continued before posting two screenshots showing two polls reflecting that Americans support such laws at around 83% support to 84% support. 

Leavitt’s comments follow the House passing a massive election integrity overhaul bill Wednesday, which includes requiring voters to show a photo ID when casting ballots in federal elections. The bill overall aims to prevent noncitizens from voting in U.S. federal elections, with all but one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, voting against it. 

Obama was among prominent Democrats encouraging House lawmakers to vote against the measure, claiming it will disenfranchise voters. 

ROGAN DEFENDS DEMOCRATIC SENATOR WHO FACED BACKLASH FROM PARTY FOR SUPPORTING VOTER ID

“Republicans are still trying to pass the SAVE Act—a bill that would make it harder to vote and disenfranchise millions of Americans,” he posted to X Wednesday evening. “Join @RedistrictAct and tell your member of Congress to vote no.” 

Democrats have argued that voter ID laws can disenfranchise eligible voters because they often require specific, current government-issued IDs that may be a struggle to obtain due to costs, paperwork hurdles or limited DMV access. Republicans have rejected that argument, calling the requirement a common-sense safeguards that would boost confidence in elections, while simultaneously noting that most Americans already need IDs for everyday tasks.

In another post, Leavitt shared that Obama presented his own driver’s license to vote in the 2012 election. Obama voted early that cycle and was seen on camera pulling his Illinois driver’s license from his wallet to flash to poll workers. 

‘I VOTED’ STICKER HELPS CONVICT NON-CITIZEN WHO CAST BALLOT IN 2024 AS ELECTION SECURITY DEBATE HEATS UP

“Here is Barack Obama showing his photo ID to vote in a past election,”  Leavitt posted. “Why are Democrats in Congress so opposed to making this a requirement across the country? Voter ID laws are common sense.” 

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers added that IDs are frequently used by Americans to buy alcohol or get on a plane, which she said shows the hypocrisy of Democrats pushing against the election security overhaul. 

MURKOWSKI BREAKS WITH GOP ON VOTER ID, SAYS PUSH ‘IS NOT HOW WE BUILD TRUST’

“Barack Obama and the rest of the Democrats think Americans are stupid, which is why they are blatantly lying about the commonsense election integrity provisions in the popular SAVE Act,” Rogers told Fox News Digital. 

“Americans need to show ID to buy alcohol, get on a plane, and even get into the Democratic National Convention — but these hypocrite Democrats don’t want voters to show their ID to cast a ballot. Congressional Democrats’ opposition to the SAVE America Act is indefensible and wildly out of step with the views of the American people.” 

Fox News Digital reached out to Obama’s office Thursday for comment but did not immediately receive a reply. 

Called the SAVE Act, the legislation would additionally require information-sharing between state election officials and federal authorities in verifying citizenship on current voter rolls, as well as enable the Department of Homeland Security to pursue immigration cases if non-citizens were found to be listed as eligible to vote.

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If passed, the new requirement could be implemented for the November midterm elections. It must first pass the Senate before it could land on President Donald Trump‘s desk. 

A federal judge on Thursday ruled the Pentagon cannot punish Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., a retired Navy pilot, for taking part in a video that called on U.S. military members to defy “illegal orders.”

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, appointed by former President George W. Bush, found the Pentagon violated Kelly’s First Amendment right to free speech and those of “millions of military retirees” by censuring him Jan. 5.

Leon’s ruling blocks the Pentagon from demoting Kelly’s retired military rank of captain or reducing his pay during an ongoing lawsuit he brought against War Secretary Pete Hegsesth, the Department of War, the U.S. Navy and Navy Secretary John Phelan.

STEPHEN A SMITH GETS INTO SLUGFEST ON ‘THE VIEW’ OVER SEN KELLY’S VIDEO URGING TROOPS TO IGNORE ILLEGAL ORDERS

After the judge’s decision, Hegseth took to X saying the administration will appeal.

“This will be immediately appealed,” he wrote in the post. “Sedition is sedition, ‘Captain.’”

His response echoed that of President Donald Trump, who previously accused the group of “sedition at the highest level,” further suggesting they should be executed.

The 90-second video, first posted by Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., also featured military veteran Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania.

MORE DEMOCRAT REPS INVOLVED IN ‘REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS’ VIDEO REPORT RECEIVING INQUIRY FROM US ATTORNEY

Hegseth said an investigation was launched into Kelly’s actions because he was the only lawmaker formally retired from the military and under the Pentagon’s jurisdiction.

In his ruling, Leon said Kelly is “likely to succeed” in his free speech argument and has shown irreparable harm.

“Rather than trying to shrink the First Amendment liberties of retired servicemembers, Secretary Hegseth and his fellow Defendants might reflect and be grateful for the wisdom and expertise that retired servicemembers have brought to public discussions and debate on military matters in our Nation over the past 250 years,” Leon wrote. 

“To say the least, our retired veterans deserve more respect from their Government, and our Constitution demands they receive it!”

MARK KELLY AVOIDS SAYING ARRESTING MADURO, VENEZUELA STRIKES WERE ‘ILLEGAL’

After the decision, Kelly said the case was sending a message to millions of retired veterans that “they too can be censured or demoted just for speaking out.”

“This might not be over yet because this president and this administration do not know how to admit when they’re wrong,” he added.

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A grand jury in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday refused the Department of Justice’s attempt to indict the group of lawmakers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A federal judge on Thursday upheld her order postponing the termination of temporary protected status for around 350,000 Haitians in the United States.

The Justice Department appealed U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes’ stay to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit but simultaneously requested that she rescind her order. Reyes heard arguments from both sides on Thursday. She said she was denying the government’s motion and would issue a written order before Feb. 19, which is the next deadline in the appellate court case. 

Reyes’ order pauses Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s termination of temporary protected status for Haitians.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BLOCKED FROM ENDING TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR HAITIANS

“During the stay, the Termination shall be null, void, and of no legal effect,” she wrote. “The Termination therefore does not affect the protections and benefits previously conferred by the TPS designation, including work authorization and protection from detention and deportation, and the valid period of work authorization extends during the stay.”

At the end of Thursday’s hearing, Reyes said she had something “important” to put on the record.

“People are entitled to their views,” said Reyes, who is both the first Latina and openly LGBTQ person to serve in Washington, D.C., as a district court judge.

LEFT-WING COURT HANDS KRISTI NOEM BIG WIN IN ‘UNVETTED IMMIGRATION’ CASE

“I am an immigrant. I did not hide that from the president of the United States… or from the U.S. Senate,” Reyes said, adding that she has heard questions about “how someone like me, an immigrant and a lesbian, could get this job.”

Reyes remarked that she doesn’t hear anyone talking about how she was magna cum laude at Harvard Law and practiced law at a top firm for 22 years.

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Reyes then went on to read threats that have been emailed to her chambers. “I don’t mind being called the C-word,” Reyes said, before quoting from various threats she said she has received.

“I hope you lose your life by lunchtime… God d— you. I hope you die today… The best way you could help America is to eat a bullet,” Reyes quoted. She also quoted from social media posts about her, including one which read, “Hang the b—.”

“Many of my colleagues have received threats,” she said, adding there have been threats to the families of judges as well. “To those who would threaten judges… we will act without fear or favor.… We will continue to do our jobs.… We will not be intimidated.”

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from transferring 20 former death row inmates to the federal “supermax” prison in Colorado, ruling the move likely violated their Fifth Amendment due process rights.

The 35-page ruling from U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly sets up a dispute between executive authority and prisoners’ procedural rights. Under Article II’s “Take Care” clause, the president is charged with executing federal law, and the Bureau of Prisons — overseen by the attorney general — has broad discretion to determine where inmates serve their sentences. But Kelly said the administration could not transfer the inmates without first giving them a meaningful opportunity to challenge the move.

Kelly, a Trump appointee, stressed that his ruling had no bearing on the nature of the crimes committed by the ex-death row inmates, many of whom he noted have been convicted of “some of the most horrific crimes imaginable.”

“The placement of an inmate with a life sentence at ADX Florence raises no constitutional concerns so long as the inmate is afforded adequate process,” he said. 

TONY HAWK, TAIWAN AND A FLASHLIGHT: TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SUSPECT’S BIZARRE DEFENSE

Instead, the ruling focused narrowly on whether the inmates were given a real opportunity to contest the transfer, which Kelly said they were not. The order is a temporary blow to the Trump administration’s effort to counter sweeping clemency actions Biden took during his final month in office — moves critics described as a political “Hail Mary” that lacked proper vetting.

“The Constitution requires that whenever the government seeks to deprive a person of a liberty or property interest that the Due Process Clause protects — whether that person is a notorious prisoner or a law-abiding citizen — the process it provides cannot be a sham,” Kelly said.

Next steps in the case were not immediately clear, and the Justice Department declined to respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on whether it would seek to appeal the ruling.

The effort comes as Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Trump administration have sought to reverse Biden’s sweeping clemency actions, including the commutations of 37 death row inmates, many of whom have been convicted of particularly heinous and violent crimes. 

One individual was convicted of murdering a married couple who were camping in the Ouachita National Forest in July 2003.

Another was convicted of kidnapping, robbing, and murdering a 51-year-old local bank president by tying him to a concrete block and chain hoist, and tossing him off of a bridge and into a lake. 

JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA

Many had also killed prisoners while serving time — a factor that can be used in weighing whether to transfer a convicted felon to a higher-security prison.

“This Department of Justice will continue to seek accountability for the families blindsided by President Biden’s reckless commutations of 37 vicious predators,” Bondi previously told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

ADX — dubbed the “Alcatraz of the Rockies” — is the only true federal “supermax” prison in the U.S., and its inmates are among the most notorious in the federal system.

BIDEN STIRS OUTRAGE IN SCRANTON BY COMMUTING ‘KIDS FOR CASH’ JUDGE’S SENTENCE

Among them are Ramzi Yousef, convicted in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the Boston Marathon bombers; former Sinola Cartel leader Joaquín Guzmán, or “El Chapo”; and Mamdouh Mahmud Salim, the co-founder of al-Qaeda.

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Though a commutation cannot be fully reversed, Justice Department officials told Fox News Digital, Bondi has prioritized ways to penalize these individuals, in coordination with directives from Trump, and to ensure that the “conditions of confinement” are “consistent with the security risks those inmates present because of their egregious crimes, criminal histories, and all other relevant considerations,” according to an earlier DOJ memo. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., blocked Senate Republicans’ attempt to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the rest of the year, teeing up a likely shutdown.

The upper chamber tried and failed to pass the original DHS funding bill on Thursday, testing Senate Democrats’ resolve as the deadline to fund the agency approaches Friday.

The bill failed largely along party lines, save for Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who joined Republicans in their attempt to fund DHS. 

SCHUMER, DEMS CHOOSE PARTIAL SHUTDOWN AS NEGOTIATIONS HIT IMPASSE

Senate Democrats have demanded a stringent list of reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They weren’t persuaded by border czar Tom Homan that operations in Minneapolis would be drawn down as negotiations continue.

“The administration doesn’t actually want to reform ICE,” Schumer said. “They never do it on their own. That is why we need, we are fighting for, legislation to rein in ICE and stop the violence.”

It was a déjà vu moment from months earlier, when Thune repeatedly tried to peel Democrats away from Schumer during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history but failed to break their blockade.

Failure to send the full-year DHS funding bill to President Donald Trump’s desk leaves Congress with few options as the midnight Friday deadline looms. 

The Senate is now expected to take another shot at preventing a partial shutdown with a short-term extension of DHS funding. Republicans are eyeing at least four more weeks of funding for the agency, though that plan is also expected to fail.

SHUTDOWN CLOCK TICKS AS SCHUMER, DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON DHS FUNDING DEMANDS

Still, negotiations are ongoing in the background, and Thune said there was some form of progress, despite Democrats continuing to publicly reject Republicans’ offers.

“They’re posturing right now, I think,” Thune said. “But I do think the progress has been real. I think the concessions on the part of the administration have been real.”

Senate Democrats received the legislative version of Republicans’ and the White House’s counteroffer Wednesday night, but many said it was “not sufficient.” Several Democrats leaving a closed-door meeting Thursday morning said a deal remains out of reach.

“We’re still looking at it, but no, not today,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said. “They have not addressed most of our major concerns at all.”

Murray signaled Democrats would present their own counterproposal to the White House — a sign negotiations are ongoing, though likely not fast enough to avert a shutdown.

SCHUMER, JEFFRIES TRASH TRUMP’S DHS PROPOSAL AS ‘INCOMPLETE AND INSUFFICIENT’

Meanwhile, lawmakers are facing the Friday deadline as both chambers prepare for a weeklong recess. Several members of the House and Senate are expected to travel to Germany for the annual Munich Security Conference.

While Thune said a deal could still be within reach, he indicated lawmakers may leave Washington while talks continue.

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“But you know, until then, I don’t know if there’s any point keeping people around here and sitting around doing nothing,” he said.

A U.S. federal judge has ordered the Venezuelan men that the Trump administration deported to El Salvador early last year be returned to the United States, stating that they did not receive due process in some cases.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued the order on Thursday.

The high-profile case involves the U.S. deportation of 252 suspected Venezuelan nationals, who were also suspected Tren de Aragua gang members, to CECOT prison in El Salvador early last year. 

Department of Justice lawyers told Boasberg on Monday that bringing over 100 Venezuelans back to the U.S. for immigration hearings would be preferable to remote hearings from El Salvador, Venezuela or other locations outside the U.S.

This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.

Fox News’ Jake Gibson contributed to this report.

Republicans remain firmly behind President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown even as support among independents declines and more Americans say he has “gone too far,” according to a new poll.

The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released the findings on Thursday, showing that roughly half of Republicans say Trump’s actions are “about right,” and another quarter believe he hasn’t gone far enough.

The survey found that about 6 in 10 U.S. adults believe Trump has crossed the line in sending federal immigration agents into American cities, including nearly 9 in 10 Democrats and about 7 in 10 independents. Only about one-quarter of Republicans agree.

The poll was conducted before Trump’s border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday that a federal immigration surge in Minnesota would conclude. Federal authorities have previously said the immigration sweeps focused on the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area have led to the arrest of more than 4,000 people.

LEAVITT SAYS TRUMP WILL NOT ‘WAVER’ ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN DESPITE DEMOCRATIC BACKLASH

Trump’s overall approval on immigration stands at 38%, largely unchanged since January despite weeks of unrest tied to federal enforcement operations, including high-profile clashes in Minneapolis.

Trump’s standing with independents, however, appears to be eroding, according to the poll.

Approval among independents dropped from 37% in March 2025 to 23% in the new poll, with about 6 in 10 independents now saying Trump has gone too far in deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally — up from 46% in April.

MORE THAN HALF OF VOTERS THINK DHS SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM SHOULD BE REMOVED: POLL

The partisan divide is especially sharp when it comes to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults have a favorable view of ICE overall. Roughly 7 in 10 Republicans view the agency favorably, compared to just 2 in 10 independents and 1 in 10 Democrats.

The poll also suggests the GOP’s long-held advantage on immigration may be narrowing.

In October, Republicans held a 13-point edge over Democrats on which party Americans trusted more to handle immigration. In the latest survey, that gap has shrunk to just 4 points, with about 3 in 10 Americans favoring each party and another 3 in 10 saying neither would do a better job.

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Trump’s overall job approval stands at 36%, slightly down from the start of his second term. His ratings on the economy and foreign policy remain similar and largely unchanged in recent months.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is all but guaranteed unless the Senate rams through a short-term extension of current funding levels sometime on Thursday.

But avoiding a DHS shutdown means the same measure must also pass the House of Representatives, where success will depend on delicate political maneuvering by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to persuade a House Republican Conference with varying ideas of what a path forward should look like.

“It would have to be for 60 or 90 days, I would think,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in 30 days, I don’t know what’s going to change.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is expected to unveil a stopgap funding measure for DHS called a continuing resolution (CR), which would extend the department’s current budget for a yet-unknown amount of time.

ICE SHUTDOWN FIGHT MIGHT RESTRICT FEMA, COAST GUARD TO ‘LIFE-THREATENING’ EMERGENCIES

It comes after Democrats walked away en masse from a bipartisan deal to fund DHS through the end of fiscal year (FY) 2026 over what they saw as insufficient guardrails on agencies responsible for President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis and elsewhere.

Congress has funded 97% of the federal government through FY2026 at this point. But DHS is a vast department with a broad jurisdiction that includes the U.S. Coast Guard, the Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) — all of which will see varying levels of disruptions if a shutdown happens.

Republicans largely want to avoid such a situation but have made clear they believe that its effects would fall squarely on Democrats’ shoulders.

DEMOCRATS SPLIT ON SHIELDING COAST GUARD, SECRET SERVICE AS DHS SHUTDOWN THREAT NEARS

Conservatives like Norman favor an extended CR, arguing that it would fund Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a higher level than the initial bipartisan funding deal would have while removing Democrats’ negotiating leverage for more guardrails on those agents.

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., told Fox News Digital last week that he would support a full-year CR for DHS to “make sure that FEMA is funded and TSA is funded, and stop the drama.”

Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., similarly said on Wednesday, “I think we’d like to push it out as far as we can so we can avoid the constant uncertainty for the agency.”

THUNE BLASTS JEFFRIES, SCHUMER AS ‘AFRAID OF THEIR SHADOWS’ AS DHS FUNDING FIGHT HEATS UP

“As long as this hangs up in the air, let’s say you do it for three, four months, the Democrats are gonna want a pound of flesh to help pass whatever it is. And I think that’s gonna weaken the efforts of … immigration enforcement,” Crane told Fox News Digital.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., told reporters earlier this week that he would favor a mid-length CR over something shorter.

“If we do two weeks and they leave for a week, it’s really a one-week CR. Nothing’s going to happen when that many important people are gone. So I think four weeks makes a lot more sense,” Cole said.

But committee member Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., panned the idea of a CR altogether.

“CRs don’t work. CRs are not without pain. It disrupts a lot of your supply chain and purchasing and acquisition,” he told Fox News Digital. “I can’t believe they’re even thinking about it.”

Rutherford, a former sheriff, argued that a shutdown or CR would harm critical national security operations during a year that’s expected to see a host of high-security events in the U.S. like America’s 250th anniversary celebration, the FIFA World Cup and others.

Johnson declined to share his thoughts on CR length when asked by Fox News Digital on Tuesday, but emphasized the House GOP’s position that the Senate should take up the bipartisan bill that Democrats initially walked away from.

“I’m not going to prejudge the length of it or what it should be. I’m very hopeful. I mean, we still have time on the clock. When there’s a will, there’s a way. And if they can come to an agreement on this and get it done, that will behoove the whole country,” Johnson said.

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House GOP leaders will likely need nearly all Republicans on board to pass a CR for DHS, with many Democrats warning they will not support any funding for the department without seeing proof of critical reform.

Jeffries would not go into specifics about what he would support or oppose in terms of DHS funding during his weekly press conference on Monday, but he suggested to reporters that a simple stopgap funding bill with no changes to ICE funding was out of the question. 

“ICE is out of control right now. The American people know it, and ICE clearly needs to be reined in,” Jeffries said. “Our position has been clear. Dramatic changes are needed at the Department of Homeland Security before a DHS funding bill moves forward. Period. Full stop.”

President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday that the administration will conclude Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.

Homan told reporters during a news conference at the Bishop Whipple Federal in Minneapolis that the operation succeeded in reducing public safety threats with “unprecedented levels of coordination” from state officials and local law enforcement, “I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude.”

“A significant drawdown that’s already been underway this week and will continue through the next week,” Homan said. “We have a lot of work to do across this country to remove public safety risk. 

Homan said a “small footprint of personnel” will remain for a period of time to close out and transition full command back to the field office along with ensuring agitator activity continues to decline in the state.

WHITE HOUSE REAFFIRMS ANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CAN BE DEPORTED AS TRUMP TEAM ZEROES IN ON ‘WORST OF THE WORST’

“Additionally, federal government personnel assigned to conduct criminal investigations into the agitators, as well as the personnel assigned here for the fraud investigations, will remain in place until the work is done,” Homan said.

Homan added that he will also remain on the ground to oversee the operation’s drawdown and success.

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This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.

JP Cooney, who worked on the criminal prosecutions of President Donald Trump with former special counsel Jack Smith, has mounted a congressional bid in Virginia as a Democrat.

“I was fired by Donald Trump’s Department of Justice because of my work to prosecute him. But I won’t let Trump – or anyone – stop me from serving. I’m J.P. Cooney, and I’m running for Congress in Virginia’s 7th District,” he wrote in a Wednesday post on X.

Fox News Digital reached out to Cooney’s campaign and the White House for comment on Thursday.

FIRED TRUMP PROSECUTORS LAUNCH NEW WASHINGTON FIRM THEY SAY WILL BATTLE GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION

Cooney’s LinkedIn profile states, “As Principal Deputy to Special Counsel Jack Smith, Cooney was a lead prosecutor in both criminal prosecutions of President Trump for obstruction of justice and conspiracy.” 

Smith praised Cooney in a statement reported by the New York Times.

JACK SMITH SAYS TRUMP ‘WILLFULLY’ BROKE THE LAW, BLASTS DOJ ‘RETRIBUTION’ IN SECOND TERM

“I’ve known J.P. for a long time and I think the world of him as a person and as a public servant,” Smith noted, according to the outlet. “He’s a man of integrity who has committed his career to upholding the rule of law, and he’s the model of who our country needs in public service.”

Cooney aims to run in a district that does not actually exist yet, the Times noted, explaining that Virginia’s 7th Congressional District would be altered under a redistricting push by Democrats. The plan would need to surmount legal challenges and clear a ballot referendum. 

TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM JACK SMITH’S TESTIMONY ON CAPITOL HILL

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“Never has there been a Congress that has been such a weak and ineffective check on a president’s abuses of power,” Cooney said, according to the Times. “I lie awake every night worrying that Donald Trump does not have the best interests of our country in mind, and that’s a seismic shift in American leadership and politics.”

The Trump Department of Homeland Security is clapping back at New Jersey Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill after she pledged to help members of the public track U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers through an online portal.

After Sherrill, a U.S. Navy veteran, recently announced, “We are going to be standing up a portal, so people can upload all their cell videos and alert people,” adding, “If you see an ICE agent in the street, get your phone out, we want to know.”

In response, a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “This certainly looks like obstruction of justice.”

“This action by the Governor encourages violence against our officers and obstruction of our operations,” the spokesperson went on, pointing out that “our officers are already facing a highly coordinated campaign of violence against them and a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them.”

DEM GOVERNOR DUCKS QUESTION ON ‘MONSTER’ ILLEGAL ALIEN WHO FRACTURED 8-YEAR-OLD’S SKULL WITH ROCK ATTACK

The spokesperson suggested that Sherrill’s policies are the real danger to New Jerseyans, not ICE agents.

“ICE law enforcement would not have to be in the field in New Jersey if we had state and local cooperation. Governor Sherrill is not letting that happen, which puts New Jerseyans in danger,” the spokesperson said.

DHS pointed to just a few of ICE’s recent arrests in New Jersey, which they said include pedophiles, rapists and murderers.

“While Governor Sherrill continues to encourage agitators to obstruct law enforcement and release pedophiles, rapists, gang members, and murderers onto New Jersey’s streets, our brave law enforcement will continue to risk their lives to arrest heinous criminals in New Jersey,” said the spokesperson.

DHS said that it recently arrested a Mexican criminal illegal alien named Jose Ortega Villalva, who it said is convicted of sex offense against a child, fondling and molestation of a minor.

PHILLY DA’S ‘HUNT YOU DOWN’ WARNING TO ICE DRAWS CALLS FOR DOJ CRIMINAL PROBE

Another illegal arrested in New Jersey is Ecuadoran national Rodrigo Roman Basantes, who the agency said is convicted of endangering the welfare of a child through sexual contact and sexual assault of a victim under 13.

A third, Felix Quintana Diaz, from Cuba, was also recently arrested by ICE in New Jersey and is convicted of homicide.

Wilmer Patzan Pirir, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala, was arrested and has been convicted of making a terroristic threat.

The agency also said ICE had arrested Manuel Mejia Morales, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador, who is convicted of rape and assault.

In response, a spokesperson for the governor told Fox News Digital that “keeping New Jerseyans safe is Governor Sherrill’s top priority,” and that Sherrill and Acting Attorney General Jennifer Davenport “will announce additional actions to protect New Jerseyans from federal overreach” in the coming days.

Sherrill cited the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in confrontations with ICE agents in Minneapolis. She accused agents of shooting Pretti “execution style,” which she called “unacceptable.”

“They have not been forthcoming,” the governor said of ICE. “They will pick people up. They will not tell us who they are. They will not tell us if they’re here legally. They won’t check. They’ll pick up American citizens.”

Regarding the planned portal, Sherrill said, “We want documentation, and we are going to make sure we get it.”  

These comments also drew criticism from the White House, which backed ICE and federal immigration officers in a statement to Fox News Digital.

TRUMP ADMIN SLAMS DEMS’ ‘CALL 911 ON ICE’ PUSH AS RECKLESS, LINKS POLICY TO RIOTS AND VIOLENT ARRESTS

Abigail Jackson, a spokesperson for the White House, remarked, “If Sherill was as committed to tracking down criminal illegal aliens as she was ICE officers, New Jersey residents would be much safer.”

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Jackson told Fox News Digital, “ICE officers are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults because of dangerous, untrue smears by elected Democrats.”

“Just the other day, an officer had his finger bitten off by a radical left-wing rioter,” she continued. “ICE officers act heroically to enforce the law and protect American communities, and local officials should work with them, not against them.”

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.

Republican Rep. Greg Steube of Florida has introduced legislation aimed at eliminating the nation’s controversial H-1B visa program.

“Prioritizing foreign labor over the well-being and prosperity of American citizens undermines our values and national interests,” Steube said, according to a press release.

“Our workers and young people continue to be displaced and disenfranchised by the H-1B visa program that awards corporations and foreign competitors at the expense of our workforce,” he continued.

ARE AMERICAN WORKERS BEING REPLACED? INSIDE THE H-1B VISA CONTROVERSY

“We cannot preserve the American dream for our children while forfeiting their share to non-citizens. That is why I am introducing the EXILE Act to put working Americans first again,” the congressman said in the statement.

“EXILE Act” is short for “Ending Exploitative Imported Labor Exemptions Act.”

In September, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation to require a $100,000 payment with each petition for an H-1B worker.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S $100K ONE-TIME FEE FOR NEW H-1B VISA APPLICATIONS SPARKS RAGING DEBATE

“The Secretary of State shall verify receipt of payment of the amount described in section 1 of this proclamation during the H-1B visa petition process and shall approve only those visa petitions for which the filing employer has made the payment described in section 1 of this proclamation,” the proclamation reads, in part.

The congressman argued that H-1B is bad for Americans.

TRUMP’S BACKING OF H-1B VISA PROGRAM EXPOSES CRACKS WITHIN MAGA MOVEMENT

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“American workers have been ripped off by the corrupt H-1B visa program for far too long. Corporations have repeatedly abused this system to help their bottom line by importing cheaper foreign labor which has suppressed wages and left millions of Americans locked out of good-paying jobs,” Steube wrote in a post on X.

The Trump administration is preparing to expand passport revocations for parents who owe significant child support, limiting their ability to travel internationally until their arrears are addressed.

The State Department plans to increase enforcement of a 30-year-old federal law that allows the government to revoke U.S. passports for individuals with substantial unpaid child support, according to The Associated Press, which cited three U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

It is unclear how many people could ultimately be affected, though officials indicated the number could reach into the thousands. The State Department is expected to implement the changes in phases due to the potentially large number of passport holders who owe back child support, the officials said.

HUNTER BIDEN ACCUSED OF GHOSTING DAUGHTER WITH LUNDEN ROBERTS AND VIOLATING CHILD SUPPORT AGREEMENT

The first group to be targeted will be passport holders who owe more than $100,000 in past-due child support, the officials told the outlet. One official said fewer than 500 people meet that threshold. Those individuals could retain their passports if they enter into a payment plan with the Department of Health and Human Services after being notified of a pending revocation.

The official added that lowering the past-due threshold in the future would significantly increase the number of parents subject to enforcement.

It remains unclear when any further changes would take effect or how many people might have their passports revoked as a result.

STATE DEPARTMENT LISTS MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS IN ADDITION TO WORLD CUP, OLYMPICS EXEMPT FROM TRUMP’S VISA BAN

Passport revocations for unpaid child support exceeding $2,500 have been permitted under a 1996 law known as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. In recent years, however, the State Department typically acted only when an individual applied to renew a passport or sought other consular services.

Under the updated approach, the department would begin revoking passports based on data shared by the Department of Health and Human Services, according to the officials who spoke to The Associated Press.

The State Department said in a statement to The Associated Press that it “is reviewing options to enforce long-standing law to prevent those owing substantial amounts of child support from neglecting their legal and moral obligations to their children.”

“It is simple: deadbeat parents need to pay their child support arrears,” the statement added.

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Since the Passport Denial Program began with the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, nearly $621 million in past-due child support payments have been made, including nine payments of more than $300,000, according to the Office of Child Support Enforcement at the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Attorney General Pam Bondi sparred with members of the House Judiciary Committee during a tense hearing Wednesday, as she sought to defend the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and push back on Democrats’ accusations of so-called “weaponization” within the department. 

Bondi’s appearance before the House Judiciary Committee was the first since her confirmation last year as the top U.S. law enforcement official. Much of the hearing quickly descended into chaos and shouting matches, as Democrats took aim at Bondi’s actions, and as Bondi doubled down on the department’s decisions under her watch. At times, she responded with barbs of her own. 

Here are the five biggest takeaways and most heated exchanges from the sharp-elbowed hearing.

BONDI HEARING DEVOLVES INTO CHAOS OF SHOUTS AS AG ACCUSES TOP DEMOCRATS OF ‘THEATRICS’

1. Ted Lieu accuses Bondi of lying under oath 

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., accused Bondi of lying under oath about an alleged witness statement that he said showed President Donald Trump had been accused of rape, saying: “You just lied under oath.”

“Don’t you ever accuse me of a crime!” Bondi fired back: The exchange spiraled into chaos, with Jordan struggling to restore order.

“This is so ridiculous,” Bondi said in response. “And they are trying to deflect from all the great things Donald Trump has done. There is no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime; everyone knows that!”

2. ‘Turn around … and apologize’

One of the most widely-shared moments came during an exchange with Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who demanded that Bondi turn around and apologize to the Epstein survivors seated behind her in the House gallery for publishing documents that failed to redact their names.

“Will you turn to the survivors … and apologize?” Jayapal asked, accusing the department of compounding their trauma. Bondi refused, beginning to cite the actions of the former administration before Jayapal interjected.

“This is not about anybody that came before you. It is about you taking responsibility for your Department of Justice and the harm that it has done to the survivors who are standing right behind you and are waiting for you to turn to them and apologize,” Jayapal said.

“I’m not going to get in the gutter for her theatrics,” she shot back, before muttering moments later, “Unprofessional.”

COMER CALLS GHISLAINE MAXWELL DEPOSITION ‘VERY DISTURBING’ AS SHE REFUSES ANSWERS

3. Massie, Bondi spat 

Notably, some Republicans also posed tough questions for Bondi, largely centered on the handling and publication of the Epstein files. 

Among them was Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who criticized the redactions that occurred on Bondi’s watch. 

Massie noted that, in his view, DOJ was “over-redacting” certain information that could be potentially incriminating, while failing to redact the names of the victims. 

“This cover-up spans decades, and you are responsible for this portion of it,” he told her. 

In response, Bondi shot back that Massie was a “failed politician” with “Trump derangement syndrome.”

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, intervened multiple times as members sparred over procedure and “reclaiming” time.

4. Bondi confirms criminal referral alleging Brennan perjury 

Bondi confirmed that she received a criminal referral from the House Judiciary Committee alleging that former CIA Director John Brennan lied to Congress.

The news came during an exchange with Jordan, who asked Bondi if Brennan would be indicted. 

The reference comes as the Justice Department for months has been investigating Brennan and others over the origins of the 2016 Russia investigation — a probe Democrats have assailed as politically motivated.

“What I can confirm is that we have received a referral from you, Chairman Jordan, to investigate John Brennan,” Bondi said, responding to Jordan’s question whether Brennan would be indicted. 

She added: “What I will say today I can’t confirm nor deny whether there’s a pending investigation, but what I will say [is] that no one is above the law. Weaponization has ended.”

BRENNAN, STRZOK, PAGE SUBPOENAED AS PART OF FEDERAL RUSSIAGATE PROBE

5. Nadler tangles with Bondi

At one point, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) directly asked Bondi how many Epstein coconspirators had been indicted by the Justice Department on her watch.

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“How many of Epstein’s co-conspirators have you indicted? How many perpetrators are you even investigating?” Nadler asked.

Bondi did not provide a number. Instead, she shifted the focus to criticism of past impeachment proceedings and reiterated that the department would investigate credible evidence that is brought forward.

Nadler interjected sharply: “The answer is zero.”

The six Democrats who urged U.S. service members to “refuse illegal orders” are threatening a legal battle with President Donald Trump over what they see as a “weaponization” of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

On Wednesday, four House Democrats — Reps. Jason Crow, D-Colo.; Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H.; Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.; and Chris Deluzio, D-Pa. — hinted they had prepared for a case of their own after they escaped an indictment Tuesday evening.

“Yesterday, the Trump Department of Justice tried and failed to indict us on criminal charges based on a video that we filmed last year simply reminding our fellow service members to follow the law and the Constitution,” Crow said. “They failed, and they will always fail.

REPUBLICAN COMBAT VETERANS URGE TROOPS TO ‘STAND STRONG’ AFTER DEMOCRATS’ ‘ILLEGAL ORDERS’ MESSAGE

“We are taking names,” Crow said. “We are creating lists. My lawyers just sent a letter today to the Department of Justice, putting them on notice that there will be costs.” 

Crow did not expand on what kind of suit he would pursue.

The “Seditious Six,” as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called the group of military veteran Democrats, posted a video to social media in November 2025 urging service members to ignore commands that violated the Constitution.

“Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution. Right now, the threats coming to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad but from right here at home,” they urged. “Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.” 

In response, the Department of Justice launched a probe of the group, weighing whether their calls had amounted to sedition.

After those charges fell flat Tuesday, Democrats in the Senate who had also participated in the video similarly blasted the DOJ’s probe.

WASHINGTON DEMOCRAT SAYS HE BELIEVES TRUMP ISSUED ILLEGAL ORDERS TO THE MILITARY

“This is outrageous,” said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. “I want to be clear about something. This is not a good news story. This is a story about how Donald Trump and his cronies are trying to break our system in order to silence anyone who lawfully speaks out against them.” 

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who also appeared in the video, echoed Kelly’s framing.

“The president has used our justice system to weaponize (it) against his perceived enemies,” Slotkin said. “I think that we’ve come to a really sad moment in America, where the paradigm of leadership has become completely reversed in 2026. Instead of looking to our elected leaders, like the president, as setting an example, it is now up to individual citizens in their private capacity to uphold the values of democracy, free speech, liberty, justice.” 

When asked how he would distinguish between political prosecution and a good-faith effort to uphold the law, Crow pointed to past statements from the administration but declined to offer a litmus test for future cases.

“I’ve learned to take Donald Trump’s words and to listen to him,” Crow said. “He actually came right out and said what he thought about this and said this is because he wants to silence political opposition. So, let’s actually just listen to what the man says.” 

DEM CONGRESSMAN PRESSED ON WHAT TRUMP ORDERS ‘SPECIFICALLY’ WERE ILLEGAL

Trump has accused the six lawmakers of being “traitors” who engaged in “sedition at the highest level” and “should be in jail.” 

He even suggested they should be executed over the video, although he later retracted that comment.

Crow declined to answer questions about when he would press his legal strategy and hinted that it might depend on what Trump does next.

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“So, that’s actually a ball that’s in the Trump administration’s court,” Crow said. “We’ve been very clear about our position and that it needs to stop. If it doesn’t stop, then we’ll take all necessary actions.”

The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment.