NationalWatch

The ongoing investigations into whether widespread fraud has roiled Minnesota’s social welfare programs could soon spread to other blue states, if House Republicans get their way.

Several GOP lawmakers told Fox News Digital they wanted to see probes expanded into New York, California, Illinois, and Wisconsin, among other areas, as both Congress and the federal government bear down on Gov. Tim Walz’s administration.

“Many in California and representatives from New York are telling us that what is happening in Minnesota — the fraud, the daycares, the fake use of daycares and the embezzlement of American taxpayer money, billions of dollars — is just the tip of the iceberg,” Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. 

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., said all states should be investigated, particularly for potential COVID-19 pandemic-era fraud within the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

MINNESOTA AG BLASTS HOUSE HEARING ON FRAUD SCANDAL IN HIS STATE : ‘A LOT OF BULLS— FROM REPUBLICANS’

“The bottom line is we obviously have made it very, very easy to defraud the federal government. We know that that went on during COVID with the PPP dollars, with a lot of the money that was flowing out. You know, shame on us for not policing that,” Harris said. “Honestly, we should look at all states.”

Federal attorneys have accused the state of Minnesota of losing potentially billions of dollars to fraud across multiple programs including childcare, food aid, and autism assistance.

State officials like Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison have accused Republicans in the federal government of inflating that number for political purposes but have conceded that they are working within Minnesota to root out how and why some money did go to fraudulent means.

‘TIP OF THE ICEBERG’: SENATE REPUBLICANS PRESS GOV WALZ OVER MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL

The political pressure from the scandal forced Walz to drop his bid for a third term earlier this month.

In addition to the federal government, Congress is also engaged in an investigation into the matter, led by the House Oversight Committee.

Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told Fox News Digital earlier this month that the probe will likely serve as a blueprint to investigate other states.

COMER SAYS WALZ ‘RETALIATED’ AGAINST WHISTLEBLOWERS WHO WARNED OF MINNESOTA FRAUD FOR YEARS

Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., told Fox News Digital he wanted to see that probe expanded into Democrat strongholds like California and New York, as well as Illinois, which borders his home state of Indiana.

“If it’s happening in Minnesota, I am sure it’s happened in California,” Stutzman said. “I think that this is something that should be investigated not only in California, but also in Illinois, and also New York and other states. If anything, the burden of proof is on our governors across the country to show that they … have it under control.”

Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., alleged blue states were more vulnerable than red states.

BESSENT BLAMES WALZ AS TREASURY PROBES WHETHER MINNESOTA FRAUD FUNDS REACHED TERROR GROUP AL-SHABAB

“I think that we need to go after New York, California,” Fine said. “I don’t think you’ll find this in red states, because we actually care about the future of the country. But I think in places with unified Democrat control, I think you’re going to see widespread fraud everywhere.”

And Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., said his own home state of Wisconsin should be investigated as well.

“Every state should be examined, including the state of Wisconsin, because I believe that the state of Wisconsin under the Evers administration has been cooking the books for our SNAP program,” Van Orden told Fox News Digital.

“When you get to California, Illinois, and New York, that’s gonna make Minnesota look like you just had lunch at Taco Bell.”

If those blue states are targeted, allegations of fraud could emerge as a new political cudgel for House Republicans as they fight an uphill battle to retain the majority in Congress this November.

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Seats in states like Wisconsin, New York, and California in particular could all prove pivotal to controlling the House of Representatives for both sides.

A spokesperson for California Gov. Gavin Newsom defended his record in fighting fraud when reached by Fox News Digital on Monday.

“Since 2019, the Governor has blocked over $125 billion in fraud, arrested criminal parasites leaching off of taxpayers, and protected taxpayers from the exact kind of scam artists Trump celebrates, excuses, and pardons. Despite this, the myths about California continue to circulate,” the spokesperson said.

Newsom is notably expected to be a top contender in what’s likely to be a crowded 2028 Democratic White House primary.

Fox News Digital also reached out to governor’s offices in Wisconsin, New York, and Illinois for comment.

The Department of Homeland Security blasted Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for refusing to cooperate with law enforcement on Monday.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem says federal agents have arrested 10,000 illegal aliens in Minneapolis in recent months, but she accused Walz and Frey of trying to “protect criminals.” Minneapolis is a sanctuary jurisdiction where local law enforcement do not honor federal detainers for illegal immigrants.

“We have arrested over 10,000 criminal illegal aliens who were killing Americans, hurting children and reigning terror in Minneapolis because Tim Walz and Jacob Frey refuse to protect their own people and instead protect criminals,” Noem wrote on X.

The DHS urged state and city leaders to start honoring arrest detainers.

DOJ LAUNCHES CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION AFTER MINNESOTA AGITATORS STORM CHURCH

“We are calling on [Walz] and [Frey] to stop releasing criminal illegal aliens from Minnesota’s jails to re-perpetuate their crimes. ICE has more than 1,360 arrest detainers for the criminal illegal aliens in their custody,” the DHS wrote.

“It is common sense. Criminal illegal aliens should not be released back onto our streets to terrorize more innocent Americans,” it added.

Chaos has broken out in Minneapolis in recent weeks as agitators take to the streets to protest federal law enforcement officials. Federal officers converged on the state in early January as a sweeping fraud case came to light, which has led to dozens of arrests, mostly including members of Minneapolis’ large Somali population.

WHITE HOUSE SLAMS WALZ, DEMOCRATS IN MINNESOTA FOLLOWING GOVERNOR’S ‘DIRECT APPEAL’ TO TRUMP

Protests and criticisms against ICE heightened Jan. 7, when a federal officer fatally shot protester Renee Good. Federal officials say Good used her car as a weapon against the agent, arguing he acted in self-defense when he fired his weapon. 

Democrats and administration officials have called the shooting a “murder” as they speak out against the administration’s deportation efforts of illegal immigrants. 

Frey rejected the Trump administration’s characterization of the immigration crackdown in Minnesota during a Sunday appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” claiming the surge of federal agents has made residents feel targeted rather than protected.

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“This is not about safety. What this is about is coming into our city by the thousands and terrorizing people simply because they’re Latino or Somali,” Frey said. “People in Minneapolis are speaking up. They’re speaking up peacefully. They’re standing up for their neighbors. And this is not just about resisting Trump. This is about loving and caring for the people that call this city home. And it’s been inspiring.”

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Longtime political foe of President Donald Trump Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell is facing a legal campaign challenge after a conservative activist filed a petition claiming the lawmaker is allegedly prohibited from running for California governor because he doesn’t actually live in the Golden State.

“Public records searches reveal no current ownership or leasehold interest held by Eric Swalwell in California, nor any history of any ownership of leasehold interest based on available public records,” a petition filed Jan. 8 by filmmaker and activist Joel Gilbert states, the New York Post reported.

“Swalwell’s congressional financial disclosers from 2011 to 2024 list no California real estate ownership,” the petition added. 

The left-wing lawmaker’s gubernatorial campaign, however, has hit back at the petition as a “nonsense claim” that the team looks forward to “beating” in court. 

SWALWELL CAMPAIGN IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER ACCEPTING ALMOST $15K FROM CCP-TIED LAW FIRM: ‘STOP PLAYING FOOTSIE’

Swalwell has served as a California congressman since 2013, and announced his candidacy to succeed Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom when his second term ends in January 2027. The gubernatorial race already is crowded with at least 10 candidates slated to be on the ballot in the nonpartisan primary in June. 

Swalwell is viewed as a front-runner as the race gets underway. 

The court filing claims that the congressman listed the address for the office of his attorney on campaign filings and not a residential California address. The address listed in the court filing shows an office building in downtown Sacramento. 

State law requires the California governor be a resident of the state five years prior to his or her election. 

“The governor shall be an elector who has been a citizen of the United States and a resident of this state for 5 years immediately preceding the governor’s election,” the filing states, outlining the California Constitution’s residential requirements of governors.  

When approached for comment on the matter, a campaign general consultant for Swalwell said the lawmaker has always resided in California across his political career and that his attorney’s address was listed on the campaign filing due to death threats he has received. 

SWALWELL THREATENS TO REVOKE DRIVER’S LICENSES OF MASKED ICE AGENTS OPERATING IN CALIFORNIA

“Since joining Congress, Eric Swalwell has always had a residence in the Bay Area. He has always had a California driver’s license, paid California taxes, and starts his California mornings with Johnny’s Donuts maple bars in Dublin. This nonsense claim comes from a MAGA blogger who made a film claiming Elvis is alive. We look forward to beating him in court,” Kate Maeder, Swalwell campaign consultant, told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement Monday morning. 

“Because of the thousands of death threats the Congressman has received, it is perfectly legal to list a campaign office as the address for his legal filings,” she added. 

Gilbert’s petition calls on the California secretary of state to “fulfill her constitutional duty” and disqualify Swalwell from the race. 

“The criteria for running for governor of California according to the California Constitution is a candidate must be resident of the state for 5 years prior to the election,” Gilbert told Fox Digital in additional comment on Monday afternoon. “Swalwell’s response that he has a California driver’s license or pays California taxes or went to a Donut shop in Dubin is irrelevant and a smoke screen. He’s a lawyer and should know better.”

The director added in response to Swalwell’s campaign: “My film about Elvis is a comedy! Swalwell is clueless every time he Tweets or opens his mouth or files a document!”

The director added that the campaign’s response was “absurd” as it related to “beating” Gilbert in court, as Swalwell is not being sued, and instead the filing calls on the California secretary of state to respond. 

“He clearly doesn’t understand the law at all despite being an attorney,” Gilbert said, before doubling down that candidates must prove residency on the state’s candidate intention statement. 

In November 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) opened a probe into Swalwell’s past mortgages, specifically investigating if allegations of millions of dollars in loans and refinancing were based on Swalwell declaring that his primary residence was in Washington, D.C.

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR HOPEFUL ERIC SWALWELL EMBRACES ROLE AS TRUMP’S LOUDEST CRITIC AMID NEW DOJ PROBE

Swalwell, Democratic California Sen. Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitita James all have been referred to the DOJ over allegations of mortgage fraud since President Donald Trump‘s return to the Oval Office.

Following the DOJ opening a probe into his mortgages, Swalwell filed a lawsuit against Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte, who referred Swalwell to the DOJ for criminal review, alleging that he abused his position to obtain the mortgage records of numerous Democrats. 

“Either he’s guilty of mortgage fraud in Washington, DC, or he’s ineligible to run for governor of California,” Gilbert told the Daily Mail. “He can’t have it both ways.”

Fox News Digital attempted to reach out to Gilbert by email for additional comment on the court filing Monday afternoon. 

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The feud between Swalwell and Trump dates to Trump’s first term, when Swalwell emerged as one of the former president’s most vocal congressional critics and served as a House impeachment manager, cementing a long-running political rivalry. 

Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno and Greg Wehner contributed to this report. 

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., acknowledged on Monday that the Biden administration “screwed up” when it comes to securing the southern border while also criticizing the Trump administration for arresting mostly migrants who have no criminal record.

During an appearance on Fox News’ “Special Report,” Warner was asked if he agreed with new Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s move to end state law enforcement collaboration with ICE to capture illegal immigrants with criminal records.

Warner responded by citing records showing that 75% of the people arrested by ICE in Virginia have no criminal record, even as the federal government continues to claim it is targeting the “worst of the worst” in its efforts to carry out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.

“They may have come across illegally into our country, but 75% of the people to have been arrested have no further criminal record,” he said.

JEFFRIES SAYS DHS SECRETARY NOEM ‘SHOULD BE RUN OUT OF TOWN’ AMID ICE SHOOTING BACKLASH

Pressed on whether Virginia should work with ICE on the people who do have criminal records, Warner admitted the Biden administration “screwed up the border” but that targeting those with criminal records is not what is happening now under Trump.

“Let’s potentially work on those who have criminal records,” he said. “But that is different than what’s happening right now, and the Biden administration screwed up the border, I’ll be the first to acknowledge that, but the idea of masked ICE agents picking up moms dropping off their kids, folks going to work and, as we’ve seen at least in the circumstance in Minnesota, sometimes where kids are being left in the car after their parents that may or may not have been actually criminals are being picked up.”

“I just think there ought to be a collaborative effort, and so far, at least based upon what I’ve seen in Minnesota, there is virtually no collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE, and I believe that is due to the ICE tactics,” the senator continued.

This comes amid protests over an incident earlier this month in Minneapolis, where Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who fired into the driver’s windshield and open window from the side of the vehicle and subsequently exclaimed “f—ing b—-” as the car crashed into another parked vehicle.

Democrats and local residents have condemned the shooting as a murder and called for Ross’ prosecution, while the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers have defended the incident by arguing that it was a justified shooting.

A week after that shooting, an ICE agent shot an alleged illegal immigrant in the leg during an arrest attempt. The Department of Homeland Security claimed the agent fired at the suspect because he was “fearing for his life and safety” after the individual resisted arrest and “violently assaulted the officer.”

MINNESOTA FACULTY UNION CALLS FOR ‘ECONOMIC BLACKOUT’ TO PROTEST ICE OPERATIONS IN MINNEAPOLIS

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“I think everybody’s got a First Amendment right to protest, but I don’t think those protests should include or involve disrupting religious services. That seems inappropriate. I do know that in Minneapolis, at least from what I’ve read, they’ve got about 3,500 ICE agents there, overwhelming the local cops at about 800,” Warner said.

“I believe that local law enforcement is pretty damn good at going after actual criminals,” the Virginia Democrat added. “But when we have ICE agents, I’ve seen in my state, sitting outside a courthouse, when somebody comes to do their hearing as they try to get legal status in our country, and they get picked up because they did the right thing in reporting in, I’m not sure that’s the system we ought to be having at this point.”

President Donald Trump says there is too much media attention on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota and not enough scrutiny of what he calls widespread corruption and stolen taxpayer money in state government.

Trump argued on Truth Social that the imbalance in coverage reflects misplaced priorities, saying the focus on immigration enforcement distracts from what he described as more consequential allegations of corruption and misuse of public funds by Minnesota officials.

“In Minnesota, there is too much media attention on ICE, who have removed some of the worst murderers and criminals in the World, people let into our Country by Crooked Joe Biden’s horrendous Open Border Policy, and not enough attention paid to the staggering sums of money stolen from the State by corrupt Minnesota politicians,” Trump said in the post.

Trump did not cite specific cases or dollar figures, though his comments come as Minnesota Democrats have faced scrutiny in recent years over spending programs and ethics questions, while ICE enforcement actions have drawn protests and legal challenges in the state.

MIKE DAVIS: WHAT IS HAPPENING IN MINNESOTA IS WHY WE HAVE THE INSURRECTION ACT

Federal prosecutors have accused Minnesota of losing potentially billions of dollars to fraud across multiple government programs, including child care subsidies, food assistance and autism services.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison have disputed the scale of the alleged losses. They’ve accused Republicans in the federal government of exaggerating the figures for political purposes, while acknowledging the state is reviewing how funds were improperly obtained and distributed.

The political fallout from the fraud allegations led Walz earlier this month to drop a bid for a third term as governor.

TRUMP ASSERTS ILHAN OMAR SHOULD BE JAILED OR BOOTED TO SOMALIA

Congress has also opened an investigation through the House Oversight Committee. Chairman James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, told Fox News Digital earlier this month the probe could serve as a blueprint for examining similar cases in other states.

Trump returned to the issue Sunday in a separate social media post, accusing Minnesota Democrats of using federal law enforcement operations to divert attention from what he described as massive fraud within the state.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump said federal agents in Minneapolis and St. Paul were targeting violent criminals.

ILLEGAL ALIEN WITH 24 CONVICTIONS AMONG ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ARRESTED IN MINNESOTA ICE OPERATION: DHS

“ICE is removing some of the most violent criminals in the World from our Country, and bring them back home, where they belong. Why is Minnesota fighting this? Do they really want murderers and drug dealers to be ensconced in their community? The thugs that are protesting include many highly paid professional agitators and anarchists. Is this really what Minnesota wants?” Trump wrote.

Trump also singled out Walz and Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat, accusing them of deflecting attention from the alleged fraud.

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“They don’t mind because it keeps the focus of attention off the 18 Billion Dollar, Plus, FRAUD, that has taken place in the State!” Trump wrote. “Don’t worry, we’re on it!” 

Federal law enforcement officers have faced protests and harassment from demonstrators in Minnesota in recent weeks, according to authorities. Federal prosecutors are also examining whether Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey took actions that impeded law enforcement efforts.

A Maryland Democrat is pushing to strip anonymity from ICE agents accused of violent or unconstitutional misconduct, proposing a new “digital unmasking” process that he says would preserve identifying data, so victims can pursue accountability in court.

The bill is being introduced by Maryland State Delegate David Moon, a Democrat and longtime Judiciary Committee leader, who says the measure is designed to ensure victims can identify federal agents accused of serious misconduct while limiting access to court-ordered civil rights or criminal cases.

“I’m introducing a bill to ‘digitally unmask’ anonymous ICE agents involved in violent or unconstitutional misconduct,” Moon said in a post on X. “Maryland would use widely available technology to preserve identifying data so victims can seek justice in court for serious, credible cases.”

The legislation would establish a process allowing courts to order the preservation and disclosure of digital information that could identify federal agents accused of violent or unconstitutional misconduct, targeting cases in which agents operate without visible identification during enforcement actions.

HOCHUL ENDORSES LEGISLATION TO ALLOW NEW YORKERS TO SUE ICE AGENTS: ‘POWER DOES NOT JUSTIFY ABUSE’

It defines “identifying digital data” broadly to include license plate information, cell tower and cell phone data, GPS and location data, image search results, StingRay records, facial recognition data and any other recoverable digital information that could help confirm an agent’s identity.

The bill limits access to that data to serious cases, requiring a court order issued in a civil lawsuit alleging violations of constitutional rights or in a criminal proceeding involving the alleged misconduct.

PHILADELPHIA’S THREAT TO PROSECUTE ICE COULD TRIGGER LANDMARK COURT FIGHT OVER AUTHORITY, EXPERTS WARN

Under the proposal, the law would take effect Oct. 1, 2026, giving state agencies and courts time to establish procedures for preserving and handling the covered digital records.

Moon did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the legislation.

TRUMP ACCUSES TIM WALZ AND ILHAN OMAR OF USING ICE PROTESTS TO DISTRACT FROM MASSIVE STATE FRAUD

Moon introduced the bill a day after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 7.

Cellphone video of the encounter has sparked widespread reaction from officials and lawmakers, as federal authorities moved quickly to defend the ICE agent involved in the shooting.

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Federal officials have said the agent acted in self-defense after Good drove her vehicle toward him, with the Department of Homeland Security describing her actions as “an act of domestic terrorism.”

Democrats and some local residents have sharply criticized the fatal shooting, condemning it as unjustified and urging that those responsible be held to account, with several lawmakers calling for an investigation and prosecution in the wake of widespread protests.

United Nations (U.N.) Chief António Guterres warned that the U.S. has sidelined international law in favor of raw power — a sharp critique delivered in a BBC interview as President Donald Trump continues to question the value of such global institutions.

Guterres told BBC Radio 4 that U.S. foreign policy reflects what he described as a belief that “the power of law should be replaced by the law of power,” arguing that Washington increasingly relies on its influence rather than international norms.

“Indeed, when one sees the present policy of the United States, there is a clear conviction that multilateral solutions are not relevant and that what matters is the exercise of the power and the influence of the United States and sometimes, in this respect, by the norms of international law.”

His remarks follow recent U.S. intervention in Venezuela and Trump’s public insistence that the U.S. must own Greenland, as well as Trump’s long-standing skepticism toward the United Nations and other global bodies. 

TRUMP ADMIN WARNED TO TAKE FRONT SEAT AS UN CHIEF RACE SHIFTS LEFT, BOOSTING ANTI-US CONTENDERS

Guterres’ comments also come as parts of the U.N. are reducing their presence in the U.S. The U.N. Development Program Monday announced it will relocate nearly 400 New York–based positions to Europe, moving most of those jobs to Germany and Spain.

Trump repeatedly has questioned the value of the U.N., telling world leaders during the 2025 General Assembly that the organization “did not even try” to help end conflicts he claimed his administration resolved independently.

Guterres claimed the organization he leads was “extremely engaged” in trying to help bring an end to global conflicts but conceded “the big powers have stronger leverage” and admitted the organization struggles to compel compliance with its charter.

Critics of the U.N. have long argued that the body is ineffective, politically biased and disproportionately funded by the United States, while allowing rivals such as China and Russia to wield veto power on the Security Council.

TRUMP ORDERS US WITHDRAWAL FROM 66 ‘WASTEFUL’ GLOBAL ORGANIZATIONS IN SWEEPING ‘AMERICA FIRST’ CRACKDOWN

Guterres also renewed calls to reform the Security Council, arguing it no longer reflects the modern world and has become gridlocked by vetoes used to advance national interests — including by the U.S. and Russia in conflicts such as Ukraine and Gaza.

He was also critical of the fact that “three European countries” were permanent members, arguing the current composition does not “give voice to the whole world.”

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Trump took his own criticisms directly before the U.N. Security Council in September 2025. “Not only is the U.N. not solving the problems it should, too often, it is actually creating new problems for us to solve,” he said in a speech. 

“All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter, and then never follow that letter up… empty words don’t solve war.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Guterres’ statements and has yet to receive a reply. 

Prominent Catholic Bishop Robert Barron is speaking out against a mob of agitators who stormed a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday to protest ICE.

Barron, who leads the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, just southeast of St. Paul, and is the founder of “Word on Fire” Ministries, called the disruption “unacceptable.”

“I don’t care what is animating or annoying you, I don’t care what your political persuasion might be, invading a church is unacceptable and is a violation of religious liberty,” Barron wrote in an X post on Monday.

This comes after dozens of anti-ICE agitators disrupted a service at Cities Church, a Baptist congregation, chanting “Justice for Renee Good” and “Who needs justice, we need justice,” as they stood inside the church.

TRUMP ACCUSES TIM WALZ AND ILHAN OMAR OF USING ICE PROTESTS TO DISTRACT FROM MASSIVE STATE FRAUD

Barron addressed the widespread anti-ICE unrest in Minnesota in a separate X post on Sunday. He wrote, “As a resident of Minnesota and as bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, my heart is breaking over the situation in my home state.”

“Violence, retribution, threats, protests, deep suspicion of one another, political unrest, fear—all of it swirling around all the time,” Barron lamented.

“May I make a modest proposal for exiting this unbearable state of affairs? The Trump Administration and ICE should limit themselves, at least for the time being, to rounding up undocumented people who have committed serious crimes. Political leaders should stop stirring up resentment against officers who are endeavoring to enforce the laws of the country. And protestors should cease interfering with the work of ICE,” he suggested.

REP DONALDS ACCUSES MINNESOTA DEMOCRATS OF STOKING ANTI-ICE UNREST AFTER AGITATORS STORM CHURCH

“And everyone on all sides must stop shouting at one another and demonizing their opponents. Where we are now is untenable. There is a way out,” Barron added.

Department of Justice officials vowed Sunday to open an investigation into the disruption, specifically probing for federal civil rights violations “by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshipers,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said. 

Attorney General Pam Bondi added in a statement Sunday that “attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law.”

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson also slammed the agitators, saying, “There is no low these radical leftists won’t stoop to.”

FEDERAL JUDGE RESTRICTS ICE AGENTS AMID ONGOING MINNEAPOLIS AREA PROTESTS

Jackson accused Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of having “whipped these rioters into a frenzy and turned them loose to wreak havoc on Minneapolis.” 

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“Frey and Walz should be ashamed for inciting such chaos, but the Trump Administration will continue enforcing the law,” she added. 

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

Investigative author Peter Schweizer alleges the Mexican government is operating a coordinated influence effort inside the United States, using diplomatic missions, education programs and migrant outreach initiatives in ways he argues go far beyond traditional diplomacy.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Schweizer said his forthcoming book, “The Invisible Coup,” available Tuesday, documents what he describes as “weaponized immigration,” a strategy he claims Mexican officials view as a means to exert political leverage inside the U.S.

“Foreign powers are using migration as a weapon to undermine American sovereignty,” Schweizer said. “Mexico is a clear example of this.”

Schweizer pointed to Mexico’s expansive diplomatic footprint in the United States, noting that the country operates 53 consulates nationwide — far more than most U.S. allies.

US EMBASSIES IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE DIRECTED TO REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS TIED TO MASS MIGRATION

“Those consular officials have been tied up in organizing political activity in the United States, which is a clear violation of their diplomatic status,” said Schweizer, investigative journalist and co-founder, alongside former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, of the conservative think tank Government Accountability Institute (GAI). 

Schweizer alleged that Mexican consular officials have supported or encouraged anti-ICE protests in the U.S., pointing to what he described as instances in which officials praised or took credit for community mobilization following immigration enforcement actions. 

Mexican consulates routinely provide legal assistance and outreach to migrant communities after ICE raids, which Mexican officials characterize as consular protection duties, though critics argue the efforts blur the line between assistance and political activism.

Schweizer also cited the role of Mexico’s so-called “migrant legislators” — elected Mexican officials who reside in the United States and represent Mexicans living abroad — as evidence of cross-border political engagement. While those officials do not hold U.S. office, some have participated in advocacy events in the United States, raising questions among critics about the scope of foreign political activity on American soil.

Schweizer further claimed the Mexican government is actively discouraging assimilation among migrants living in the U.S., pointing to government-produced Spanish-language textbooks distributed to American school districts.

STATE DEPARTMENT YANKS VISAS FROM MEXICAN EXECUTIVES IN MIGRANT SMUGGLING CRACKDOWN

“The Mexican government gives textbooks to school districts in the United States from Los Angeles to Orlando,” Schweizer said. “Those textbooks are designed to make sure that migrant children view themselves as Mexican first, not as Mexican–American.”

Mexican government–produced textbooks are distributed inside the United States through Mexico’s consular network, primarily as donated supplemental materials. The books are published by Mexico’s state textbook authority and are typically made available through consulates, libraries, community centers and, in some cases, schools that request them for Spanish-language or heritage instruction.

According to Schweizer, the textbooks present what he described as a highly politicized version of American history, including depictions of the Mexican–American War that frame the United States as an adversary.

“The textbook describes the United States as the enemy,” he said, adding that school districts may be accepting the materials without closely reviewing their content.

Schweizer also alleged coordination between Mexican diplomatic missions and U.S.-based advocacy groups that he said crosses into American electoral politics. He referenced a 2024 meeting held at the Mexican consulate in Oklahoma City that he said included Mexican diplomatic officials and Democratic Party activists.

“The conversation was about how California had been turned from red to blue, Arizona had been turned from red to blue, and how Republicans were going to ‘find out’ that they were planning to turn the whole country blue,” Schweizer said, citing what he described as a transcript of the meeting. 

“That’s not what diplomatic officials should be engaged in,” he added.

Asked whether such conduct would violate U.S. law, Schweizer said foreign diplomats are prohibited from participating in American elections and argued that expulsion of involved officials would be an appropriate response. 

“We need a zero-tolerance policy,” he said. “We’re gearing up for midterm elections, and based on their history, this should not be tolerated.”

Schweizer also pointed to a Mexican government–backed streaming platform known as Migrant TV, which he said was created to communicate with migrants living in the United States.

“When you look at the content, it was extremely pro-Kamala Harris and very anti-Trump,” Schweizer said, adding that the platform has portrayed ICE officials as Nazis and fascists.

The Mexican government launched TV Migrante, a channel dedicated to giving voice to migrants, in March 2025. The channel is available across Mexico and in the U.S. on digital platforms and some cable packages that include international channels. 

Schweizer argued that Mexico’s approach should be viewed in a broader geopolitical context, drawing comparisons to China’s use of diplomatic missions and affiliated activist groups in the United States. 

“The question is why are we tolerating this?” he said. “I think it’s high time to say enough is enough.”

The allegations come as relations between Washington and Mexico are under strain, with President Trump warning of tougher action against Mexican drug cartels and border security failures. Trump has said the U.S. is prepared to escalate its posture, while Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has emphasized cooperation and respect for sovereignty.

Sheinbaum has highlighted what she describes as progress cracking down on cartels, declining migration flows and joint security efforts with U.S. officials, while warning against any violation of Mexico’s territorial integrity.

Schweizer said he remains skeptical of those assurances, arguing that migration provides Mexico with both economic and political leverage. 

“More than $60 billion flows from the United States to Mexico in remittances,” he said. “That’s a crucial lifeline.”

In 2024 Mexico received around $62.5 billion from remittances sent from the U.S, according to economists with BBVA Research group. 

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“They view (immigration) as an opportunity to exert influence and sovereignty into the United States.”

Mexican officials have previously said their consulates exist to provide services and protect the rights of Mexican nationals abroad, and the Mexican government has emphasized its partnership with Washington on security and border enforcement. 

The Mexican embassy could not be reached for comment on Schweizer’s claims. 

President Donald Trump has spent the bulk of his second White House term testing the limits of his Article II authorities, both at home and abroad – a defining constitutional fight that legal experts expect to continue to play out in the federal courts for the foreseeable future.

These actions have included the U.S. capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, who was deposed during a U.S. military raid in Caracas earlier this month, and Trump’s continued fight to deploy National Guard troops in Democrat-led localities, despite the stated objections of state and local leaders.

The moves have drawn reactions ranging from praise to sharp criticism, while raising fresh legal questions about how far a sitting president can go in wielding power at home and abroad.

Legal experts told Fox News Digital in a series of interviews that they do not expect Trump’s executive powers to be curtailed, at least not significantly or immediately, by the federal courts in the near-term.

TRUMP OUSTING OF MADURO DRAWS PARALLELS TO US RAID IN PANAMA – BUT THERE ARE SOME MAJOR CONTRASTS

Like other U.S. presidents, Trump can cite guidance used by then-President George H.W. Bush and others to argue Maduro’s arrest was made within the “national interest” or to protect U.S. persons and property.

Despite near-certain challenges from Maduro – who would likely argue any U.S. arrest in Venezuela is illegal, echoing Manuel Noriega’s failed strategy decades ago – experts say Trump’s Justice Department would have little trouble citing court precedent and prior Office of Legal Counsel guidance to justify his arrest and removal.

U.S. presidents have long enjoyed a wider degree of authority on foreign affairs issues – including acting unilaterally to order extraterritorial arrests. Like other U.S. presidents, Trump can cite guidance published in the late 1980s to argue Maduro’s arrest was made within the “national interest” or to protect U.S. persons and property.

Even if an arrest were viewed as infringing on another country’s sovereignty, experts say Trump could cite ample court precedent and longstanding Office of Legal Counsel and Justice Department guidance to argue the action was legally sound.

A 1989 memo authored by then-U.S. Assistant Attorney General Bill Barr has surfaced repeatedly as one of the strongest arguments Trump could cite to justify Maduro’s capture. That OLC memo states that “the president, pursuant to his inherent constitutional authority, can authorize enforcement actions independent of any statutory grant of power.” It also authorizes FBI agents to effectuate arrests ordered by the president under the “Take Care” clause of the U.S. Constitution, and says the authority to order extraterritorial arrests applies even if it impinges “on the sovereignty of other countries.”

Importantly, federal courts have read these powers to apply even in instances where Congress has not expressly granted statutory authorization to intervene.

DEFIANT MADURO DECLARES HE IS A ‘PRISONER OF WAR’ IN FIRST US COURT APPEARANCE

“When federal interests are at stake, the president, under Article II, has the power to protect them, Josh Blackman, a constitutional law professor at the South Texas College of Law, told Fox News Digital in an interview. 

That’s because Article II, at its core, is “the power for a U.S. president to protect [its] people,” Blackman said. 

“The reason why we detained Maduro was to effectuate an arrest. DOJ personnel and FBI agents were there to arrest him and read him his rights. And the reason why we used 150 aircraft, and all the other military equipment, was to protect the people who were going to arrest Maduro,” he added. “It was a law enforcement operation, but [with] military backing to protect them – so Article II does factor in here, indirectly.” 

Though Trump himself has not cited a legal justification for the invasion, senior administration officials have, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who described Maduro’s arrest respectively, as a mission to indict two “fugitives of justice,” and as a “joint military and law enforcement raid.”

In Minnesota, next steps for Trump are a bit more fraught. 

Trump’s National Guard deployment efforts were stymied by the Supreme Court in December, after the high court halted Trump’s National Guard deployments under Title 10. 

Trump had deployed the federalized troops to Illinois and Oregon last year to protect ICE personnel. But the high court issued an interim order rejecting Trump’s bid, noting that under Title 10, the administration could not federalize the National Guard until it first showed they tried to authorize the regular military to enforce the laws but could not do so. 

Some court watchers have noted that the ruling essentially closes off alternatives for Trump to act.

Instead, Trump could opt to enact his Article II “protective powers” domestically via a more sweeping and extreme alternative.

MIKE DAVIS: WHAT IS HAPPENING IN MINNESOTA IS WHY WE HAVE THE INSURRECTION ACT

This includes the use of the Insurrection Act to call up active-duty U.S. troops and order them deployed to Minnesota and elsewhere. 

The Insurrection Act is a broad tool that gives presidents the authority to deploy military forces in the U.S. when “unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion” make it “impracticable to enforce the laws.” 

Critics note it is a powerful, far-reaching statute that could grant Trump an expansive set of powers to act domestically in ways that are not reviewable by Congress or by the courts.

Jack Goldsmith, a Harvard Law professor and former U.S. Assistant Attorney General, noted this possibility in a recent chat with former White House counsel Robert Bauer. By “closing off this other statute,” he said, the Supreme Court “may have, some argue, driven the president in the direction of the Insurrection Act because this other source of authority was not available.”

Trump allies, for their part, have argued that the president has few other options at his disposal in the wake of the Supreme Court’s interim ruling.

Chad Wolf, the America First Policy Institute’s chair of homeland security and immigration, told Fox News Digital last week that Trump could have “little choice” but to invoke the Insurrection Act.  

“If the situation on the ground in Minneapolis continues to grow violent, with ICE officers being targeted and injured as well as other violent acts … Trump will have little choice,” he said. 

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Experts are split on to what degree there is a through-line between the two issues.

Blackman, the South Texas College of Law professor, said the “point of connection” in Trump’s actions is the presidential “power of protection” under Article II, which he said applies both abroad and at home. “The president can protect his law enforcement domestically, and he can protect his law enforcement abroad, both under Article II.”

Fox News Digital’s Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump warned that he no longer feels obligated to think “purely of peace” as he argued the United States must have “complete and total control” of Greenland.

In a text exchange with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump wrote: “Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.”

“Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a ‘right of ownership’ anyway? There are no written documents, it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also,” he wrote. 

“I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States,” Trump wrote. “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT.”

TRUMP ISSUES STERN WARNING TO NATO AHEAD OF VANCE’S HIGH-STAKES GREENLAND MEETING

Støre confirmed the text message, first reported by PBS, to Fox News. 

The White House could not be reached to weigh in on the exchange. 

“Norway’s position on Greenland is clear. Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter,” the prime minister said in a statement. “We also support that NATO in a responsible way is taking steps to strengthen security and stability in the Arctic. As regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I have clearly explained, including to President Trump what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian Government.” 

In a prior message to the U.S. president, Støre, on behalf of himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, had conveyed opposition to Trump’s proposed tariff increases on Norway, Finland and other countries and requested a phone conversation to de-escalate. 

The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, but she offered the prize to Trump in a White House meeting Thursday. 

JOHNSON: ‘NO BOOTS ON THE GROUND’ FOR TRUMP’S GREENLAND ACQUISITION PLANS AMID MILITARY SPECULATION

The prize is awarded by the Nobel Committee, which is made up of members appointed by the Norwegian parliament and intended to operate independently. 

After Machado handed over her award to Trump, the Nobel Committee released a statement saying: “A laureate cannot share the prize with others, nor transfer it once it has been announced. A Nobel Peace Prize can also never be revoked. The decision is final and applies for all time.”

Trump on Saturday said he would impose an additional 10% tariff on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland, starting Feb. 1, increasing to 25% on June 1, until an agreement is reached for the purchase of Greenland.

US CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION VISITS DENMARK AMID BACKLASH OVER TRUMP’S PUSH TO ACQUIRE GREENLAND

Members of the European Union debated the prospect of retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. in Brussels Sunday, but diplomats insisted on the need to seek de-escalation measures with the U.S. first. 

The president has not ruled out the use of force to take the icy, 836,000 square mile island. 

Trump and his advisors have pointed to Greenland’s position between North America and Europe as critical to U.S. missile defense, early-warning systems and Arctic surveillance. The island sits along key air and sea routes that U.S. military planners view as increasingly important as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and expands the theater of great-power competition.

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The administration has also warned that China and Russia have sought to expand their influence in the Arctic through infrastructure investments, scientific outposts and military activity, raising concerns that Greenland could become a foothold for adversaries if the U.S. does not take a more assertive role.

Greenland’s government and Denmark, which retains sovereignty over the territory, have rejected any suggestion of U.S. control, though the U.S. already maintains a military presence there through Pituffik Space Base, a key hub for missile warning and space surveillance.

Fox News’ Madeleine Rivera and Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.

The latest bipartisan campaign to rein in President Donald Trump’s war authority in Venezuela may have failed, but the lawmaker behind the push has no intention of stopping his pursuit.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., plans to continue his goal of corralling Trump’s policing power across the globe, and believes that he can find support among Republicans to pass a war powers resolution out of the Senate.

“The other thing we’re going to do is this: We’re going to be filing a whole lot more war powers resolutions,” Kaine said after the unsuccessful vote to advance his resolution.

KEY REPUBLICANS FLIP, KILL EFFORT TO RESTRAIN TRUMP’S POLICING POWER OVER VENEZUELA

He argued that this resolution, though unable to make it out of the Senate this time, was similar to a war powers resolution he filed shortly after the strike ordered by Trump in 2020 that killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani.

The resolution garnered eight Republican votes in a GOP-controlled Senate at the time.

“When you do it, and you get Republican votes, it sends a message to the White House,” he said.

Kaine and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who co-sponsored the latest war powers resolution, previously suggested that later attempts to rein in Trump’s war authorities could be focused on Greenland, Iran and Cuba.

SENATE GOP MOVES TO BLOCK DEMS’ WAR POWERS PUSH, PRESERVE TRUMP’S AUTHORITY IN RARE MOVE

Kaine’s optimism comes from the successful vote to curtail Trump’s war powers in Venezuela earlier this month, where five Senate Republicans splintered from their colleagues to advance a resolution that would have required the president to confer with Congress before future military action in the region.

Still, that same cohort was unable to survive a pressure campaign from Senate Republican leadership, Trump and administration officials.

The two lawmakers who reversed their position, Sens. Todd Young, R-Ind., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., did so because of guarantees from the administration, chiefly Secretary of State Marco Rubio, that no boots would be on the ground in Venezuela.

GOP EYES VENEZUELA’S UNTAPPED OIL WEALTH AS DEMOCRATS SOUND ALARM OVER TAXPAYER RISK

Young received the assurance from Rubio in a letter the day of the vote, when he said that should Trump “determine that he intends to introduce U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities in major military operations in Venezuela, he would seek congressional authorization in advance (circumstances permitting).”

Kaine said that while the outcome was disappointing, and Trump and Senate Republican leadership engaged in a “full-court press unlike any I’ve seen in 13 years here” to stop the resolution from succeeding, the cracks in the foundation were still there. And Kaine believed they were ripe to fracture even further.

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“The way cracks grow is through pressure and the pressure campaign that I sort of decided to launch by use of these privileged motions. I’m going to file every one I can to challenge emergencies, to challenge unlawful wars, to seek human rights reports, arms transfers if they’re wrong,” he said.

The Trump administration extended invitations to Russia and Belarus to join a proposed Gaza “Board of Peace,” officials in both countries said Monday. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow that Russian President Vladimir Putin is reviewing the invitation.

“President Putin has indeed received an offer through diplomatic channels to join this Board of Peace. We are currently studying all the details of this proposal,” Peskov said, according to Russian state media outlet TASS. “We hope to contact the US side to clarify all the details.”

Belarus’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed receiving an invitation, saying in a post on X that President Donald Trump sent Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko a letter proposing the country become a founding member of the “Board of Peace.”

TRUMP THREATENS HAMAS IF GAZA CEASEFIRE COLLAPSES AS JD VANCE TO VISIT ISRAEL

“We are ready to take part in the activities of the Board of Peace, taking into account and hoping that this organization will expand its scope and authority far beyond the mandate proposed in the initiative,” the ministry said.

Other countries over the weekend, including Argentina, Jordan, Canada, India, Egypt, Hungary and Vietnam, announced they too had received invitations from the White House.

Neither the State Department nor the White House immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment about a full tally of all countries invited.

TRUMP’S GRAND PEACE STRATEGY IS BEARING FRUIT, IN MIDDLE EAST AND AROUND THE WORLD

The White House released a statement on Friday outlining the next phase of Trump’s Gaza peace plan, naming senior international figures to oversee governance, reconstruction and long-term development of the enclave.

“The Board of Peace will play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the President’s plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development,” the statement said in part.

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Trump will chair the board and be joined by a group of senior political, diplomatic and business figures, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and billionaire Marc Rowan, among others.

The Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump’s proposed Gaza peace board would require countries seeking a permanent seat to pay a $1 billion fee, according to a draft charter circulated to prospective members.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on X that the composition of a separate “Gaza Executive Board,” which names Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi as appointed members, was not coordinated with Israel and “runs contrary to its policy.”

EXCLUSIVE — Nate Morris says that a staggering contribution by Elon Musk in support of his Republican bid for the Senate in Kentucky “certainly gives us the firepower and the ammo to go the distance, to be able to get out our message.”

Morris, a businessman and political outsider who’s showcasing his support for President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement as he runs for the Senate, spoke first with Fox News Digital after Musk cut a $10 million check to the pro-Morris Fight for Kentucky super PAC.

The contribution by Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, was his largest ever in a U.S. Senate race.

Morris is one of the top three contenders, along with Rep. Andy Barr and former Kentucky Attorney General and 2023 gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron, among a dozen Republican candidates, running to succeed retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell, the former longtime Senate GOP leader.

PRO-TRUMP POLITICAL OUTSIDER JUMPS INTO 2026 RACE TO SUCCEED SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL

“Elon picks winners. Elon has been the greatest entrepreneur in the history of our world, and people are going to be talking about him for 1,000 years. And he knows success. He knows leadership, and I think this is another example of him putting his money where his mouth is.”

Morris noted that to date, he’s “financed most of the campaign myself, and also with help from small dollars from all over the country that want to stop the McConnell machine and want to send a pro-Trump outside business person to the U.S. Senate.”

‘AMERICA FIRST’ ATTORNEY GENERAL DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM MCCONNELL — HIS FORMER BOSS — AS KENTUCKY RACE DEFINES GOP FUTURE

But he emphasized that “this investment from Elon Musk is going to give our message, our campaign, the opportunity to continue to amplify why we should be the U.S. Senator here in Kentucky, and the kind of Senator we’re going to be.”

Asked why he thought Musk decided to support him, Morris, who had a recent conversation with the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, said, “I think he saw an outside business guy and someone that was willing to take on the Mitch McConnell machine, and someone that’s going to tell it like it is, and has experience creating jobs, and I think also, a really tough, hard line immigration policy.”

Musk is also close with Vice President JD Vance, who counts Morris as a personal friend.

The donation, which was first reported by Axios earlier on Monday, came last week, according to sources. It’s Musk’s largest single donation he has spent supporting a candidate for federal office, except for Trump.

Musk went all in for Trump in the 2024 election, dishing out nearly $300 million in support of Trump’s bid through America PAC, a Trump-aligned super PAC. Much of the money was used for get-out-the-vote efforts and ads in the crucial battleground states as Trump and then-Vice President Kamala Harris faced off for the presidency.

But Trump and Musk had a major falling out last year, with Musk threatening to form a third party, before patching up their relationship the past couple of months.

FINAL SENATE CANDIDATE CHARLIE KIRK ENSORSED BEFORE HIS ASSASSINATION: ‘WE HAVE TO WIN’

Following a November dinner with the president at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, Musk gave major contributions to the leading GOP-aligned super PACs supporting House and Senate Republicans.

Morris, who launched his Senate bid in June during an interview on Donald Trump Junior’s podcast, held a rally kicking off his campaign with conservative leader and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk. Morris was the final Senate candidate endorsed by Kirk prior to his assassination a couple of months later.

Morris has also been endorsed by a number of other leading MAGA figures, including Sens. Bernie Moreno of Ohio and Jim Banks of Indiana, and Steve Bannon, a one-time leading Trump political strategist and host of the popular “War Room” podcast.

Barr campaign manager Blake Gober, responding to the news of the Musk donation, said in a statement, “the more money Nate Morris spends, the more Kentuckians get to see him and the worse he does.”

“Nate Morris spending money made this a two-man race between Andy Barr and Daniel Cameron. Nate Morris spending more money will cement it that way,” Gober argued.

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Eight Democrats, including 2020 Senate nominee Amy McGrath, are running for their party’s nomination in the Senate race in Kentucky.

The primary is scheduled for May 19, and the eventual GOP nominee will likely be considered the clear favorite in November’s general election.

Fox News’ Paige Dukeman contributed to this report.

In his forthcoming book, “Where We Keep the Light,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro writes that the prospect of becoming the vice president for Kamala Harris did not “feel right,” Politico Playbook reported.

“I knew that despite the honor of it, it just didn’t feel right for some reason,” Shapiro noted, according to the outlet.

Regarding the vetting to potentially become Harris’ 2024 running mate, he wrote that “all of the questioning felt unnecessarily contentious,” according to the report, which also noted that he indicated that Harris’ team “didn’t understand where the people who would decide this presidential election really were.”

JOSH SHAPIRO CLAIMS KAMALA HARRIS’ TEAM ASKED IF HE WAS A ‘DOUBLE AGENT FOR ISRAEL

“If we had door A and door B as options, and she was for door A and I was for door B, I just wanted to make sure that I could make the case for door B, and if I didn’t convince her, then I’d run right through a brick wall to support her decision,” he notes in the book, according to The New York Times. “She was crystal clear that that was not what she was looking for.”

Shapiro was “surprised” by the extent to which Harris “seemed to dislike the role” she held as vice president, he indicated in the book, Politico Playbook reported.

SHAPIRO KICKS OFF 2026 RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN AS 2028 WHITE HOUSE BUZZ SWIRLS

“She noted that her chief of staff would be giving me my directions, lamented that the Vice President didn’t have a private bathroom in their office and how difficult it was for her at times not to have a voice in decision making,” Shapiro wrote, according to the Times.

The outlet reported that Shapiro opted to withdraw himself from consideration, and requested to get in touch with Harris to deliver his decision, but was told that “the VP would not handle bad news well and that I shouldn’t push.”

OBAMA WINGMAN ERIC HOLDER DEFENDED WALZ’S VETTING — THEN MINNESOTA’S FRAUD SCANDAL ERUPTED

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Harris ultimately tapped Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her 2024 running mate, but the two were soundly defeated by the Republican ticket featuring Donald Trump and JD Vance.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson drew sharp criticism from the Department of Homeland Security after suggesting that a federal immigration operation under Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino disrupted what he said had been the city’s safest summer in decades.

Johnson has been touting recent analysis that 2025 was Chicago’s safest summer in 60 years in terms of violent crime, as the city’s NPR affiliate found a total of 123 murders occurred between June and August last year.

The University of Chicago’s Crime Lab found that violent crime declined across the country, including in the city throughout 2025, but it still had elevated figures versus other major cities globally.

Johnson said last week that those figures were true before DHS kicked off “Operation Midway Blitz” around the first week of September.

SANCTUARY POLITICIANS’ RHETORIC LED TO 1,150% SURGE IN VIOLENCE AGAINST ICE AGENTS: DHS

Johnson said that once ICE and the Border Patrol showed up, crime increased again.

“Chicago had the safest summer since 1965 before Bovino stepped foot in our city,” Johnson said. “Where ICE was most active, crime went up.”

When asked for a response, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Johnson is continuing to “demonize our law enforcement, who are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them.”

TRUMP SAYS CHICAGO CRIME HAS FALLEN DRAMATICALLY DESPITE ‘EXTRAORDINARY RESISTANCE’ FROM LOCAL DEMOCRATS

“The danger and violence our law enforcement has faced in sanctuary cities like Chicago, compared to jurisdictions like Florida, is night and day,” she said, after video surfaced of a woman being promptly detained and arrested after allegedly interfering in a Jacksonville immigration enforcement operation.

“He should turn down the rhetoric and work with DHS to prevent more innocent American deaths at the hands of gang members, murderers, drug traffickers, and rapists who have no right to be in this country,” McLaughlin said, noting that DHS arrested more than 4,500 illegal immigrants with criminal records; many of them violent; during the Midway Blitz operation.

Johnson had countered that the statistics and timing showed his administration “reduced violence in Chicago in spite of ICE.”

TRUMP DECLARES VICTORY IN DEM-RUN CITY DESPITE ‘EXTRAORDINARY RESISTANCE’ FROM SANCTUARY POLITICIANS

Johnson pointed to the case of Mexican national Silverio Gonzalez, who was shot and killed by agents last year. An account from the Chicago Sun-Times reported that ICE determined Gonzalez had allegedly resisted arrest and drove his car toward officers, injuring one.

Rep. Jesus Garcia, D-Ill., who represents the area, later called for a federal investigation.

ICE AGENTS REPORT ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ 3,200% SURGE IN CAR ATTACKS LAST YEAR

Johnson himself had been responding on X to comments from Bovino, who in turn was disputing an assertion from Obama confidant David Axelrod.

“In Chicago, the trail of misrepresentations by DHS was so long, an exasperated federal judge declared ‘it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to believe almost anything’ they represent as fact. That pattern continues in Minneapolis,” Axelrod wrote, citing and linking to a New York Times report of a man shot and injured by a federal agent in Minneapolis days after Renee Good’s death.

In response, Bovino said that “double-digit decreases in violent crime in Chicago speak the truth you’r[e] after.”

“Taking violent illegal aliens off the streets by the thousands seems to bother those who choose illegal aliens over American citizens.”

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That comment led Johnson to cite the 1965 versus 2025 violent crime figures.

“Abolish ICE,” Johnson later wrote on Facebook, posting the contents of his prior comments.

FIRST ON FOX: A Senate Republican wants to dramatically expand the federal government’s ability to denaturalize a citizen with legislation built to withstand challenges in court.

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., plans to introduce his Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation (SCAM) Act to develop a series of wide-ranging legal triggers for the denaturalization process in the wake of the Minnesota fraud scandal.

Schmitt’s legislation is designed to bolster the government’s ability to strip a naturalized person of their citizenship, but it does not stop at targeting just fraudsters.

FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO HALT MORE THAN $10B IN FUNDING TO 5 STATES OVER NON-CITIZEN BENEFIT CONCERNS: REPORT

The SCAM Act creates a 10-year window, post-naturalization that, if a person were to hit a series of triggers, would lower the threshold for the federal government to strike their citizenship and begin the deportation process.

Among the acts that would fall under the scope of Schmitt’s legislation are whether a person defrauded a federal, state, local, or tribal government of $10,000 or more, committed espionage, committed an aggravated felony, or is affiliated with a foreign terrorist organization.

The lawmaker argued that people who trigger those requisites “must be denaturalized because they have proven they never met the requirements for the great honor of American citizenship in the first place.”

SENATE REPUBLICANS EYE RECONCILIATION TO ADDRESS MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL

“The rampant fraud uncovered in Minnesota must be a wakeup call,” Schmitt said. “People who commit felony fraud, serious felonies, or join terrorist organizations like drug cartels shortly after taking their citizenship oaths fail to uphold the basic standards of citizenship.”

Schmitt’s legislation specifically targets the “good moral character” factor in the naturalization process, which requires a person to engage in moral and ethical conduct for up to five years before applying for citizenship.

The bill would automatically and retroactively undermine that key step in the naturalization process and contends that the aforementioned acts committed post-naturalization act as proof that a person never qualified for citizenship in the first place.

HOUSE GOP WHIP URGES CITIZENSHIP REVOCATIONS TIED TO MINNESOTA FRAUD SCHEMES

It also has a built-in mechanism to deal with challenges to the legislation in court, specifically to automatically switch out the 10-year window — if found unconstitutional — with a five-year window.

His legislation also has the backing of the White House and was lauded by White House deputy chief of staff for policy and President Donald Trump’s Homeland Security advisor Stephen Miller, who charged that the “Somali fraud scandal is one of the greatest financial scandals in American history.”

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Prosecutors digging into the sprawling Minnesota fraud scandal estimate upward of $9 billion in stolen funds and have charged several native-Somali residents in connection with the boondoggle.

“The Somali fraud scandal is one of the greatest financial scandals in American history,” Miller said. “All Somali refugees, or any other immigrants, who have committed fraud against the United States must be immediately denaturalized and deported.”

President Donald Trump asserted in a Sunday night Truth Social post that Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota should either be locked up in jail or sent to Somalia.

“There is 19 Billion Dollars in Minnesota Somalia Fraud. Fake ‘Congresswoman’ Illhan Omar, a constant complainer who hates the USA, knows everything there is to know. She should be in jail, or even a worse punishment, sent back to Somalia, considered one of the absolutely worst countries in the World. She could help to MAKE SOMALIA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump declared in the post.

Omar, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since early 2019, was born in Somalia and became a U.S. citizen in 2000.

“ICE is removing some of the most violent criminals in the World from our Country, and bring them back home, where they belong. Why is Minnesota fighting this? Do they really want murderers and drug dealers to be ensconced in their community? The thugs that are protesting include many highly paid professional agitators and anarchists. Is this really what Minnesota wants?” the president asked in a Sunday Truth Social post.

TRUMP ACCUSES TIM WALZ AND ILHAN OMAR OF USING ICE PROTESTS TO DISTRACT FROM MASSIVE STATE FRAUD

“The crooked Governor and ‘Congresswoman’ Omar, who married her brother, don’t mind because it keeps the focus of attention off the 18 Billion Dollar, Plus, FRAUD, that has taken place in the State! Don’t worry, we’re on it!” he added in the post.

ILHAN OMAR LASHES OUT AT ‘SICK’ REPUBLICANS FOR INVESTIGATING HER ALLEGED MARRIAGE TO BROTHER

Omar recently drew criticism for referring to the nation as the “U.S. God—- States.”

“No member of Congress should *ever* refer to our country as the ‘U.S. G*ddamn States,’” GOP Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah wrote in a post on X, asking, “What should be the consequence of saying that?”

ILHAN OMAR REFERS TO ‘US GOD—- STATES’ DURING IMPASSIONED REMARKS ABOUT ICE

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Business tycoon Elon Musk replied, “Whatever the penalty is for treason.” 

Fox News Digital reached out to Omar’s office on Monday to request comment on the Truth Social post.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina announced on Sunday that he met with Israel’s Mossad Director David Barnea.

“Just met with my good friend David Barnea, Director of Mossad. Wow, these people are clever. God Bless America. God Bless Israel,” Graham wrote in a post on X, which includes a photo of himself and Barnea smiling and giving a thumbs up.

The Mossad’s website explains, “The institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (Mossad) is a national organization responsible for covert activity abroad.”

LINDSEY GRAHAM RETURNS TO ISRAEL FOR TALKS WITH NETANYAHU AMID MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS

“Lindsey Graham holds secret talks with MOSSAD boss in Israel,” RT wrote in a post on X while sharing a screenshot of the U.S. lawmaker’s post about meeting with the Israeli official. “Is he speaking for all of America?”

The outlet’s website states, “RT is an autonomous, non-profit organization that is publicly financed from the budget of the Russian Federation.”

Graham shared the RT post and wrote, “To my Russian friends, chill out. I’ve known David for a very long time. He’s looking to buy property in South Carolina and I wanted to give him my two cents’ worth. In case you haven’t noticed, President Trump is in charge.”

LINDSEY GRAHAM CALLS FOR US TO USE ‘ANY MEANS NECESSARY’ TO STOP THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE KILLING OF IRANIANS

Graham also met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials during his trip to the Jewish state.

“Great visit with Prime Minister Netanyahu and his team at one of the most consequential moments in recent memory. America has no better friend than the State of Israel,” Graham said in a post on X.

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Graham previously met with Netanyahu in Israel last month.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said on Sunday that the U.S. is engaged in an “ongoing war” with Venezuela following what he described as recent U.S. actions involving the country.

During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Paul said the U.S. continues to be in conflict with Venezuela over its oil.

“That is an act of war, it’s an ongoing war, to continue to take their oil, ongoing war, to distribute it,” Paul said.

“I still hope it works out for the best, but we are still involved in an active war with Venezuela,” he continued.

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The senator added that “we still have hundreds of ships with a 100% blockade of the coast.”

This comes after the U.S. operation to attack Venezuela and arrest its president, Nicolás Maduro, and the Trump administration’s subsequent seizing of an oil tanker from the country.

Venezuela is one of the biggest producers of oil, and its oil industry has become a focus of the Trump administration. Officials said oil sales to the U.S. will start immediately with an initial shipment of about 30 million to 50 million barrels and that the shipments will continue indefinitely.

“This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!” Trump previously wrote on Truth Social.

Trump has also said that the U.S. would continue “running” Venezuela for much longer than a few months. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have said it will take time for Venezuela, now led by interim acting President Delcy Rodriguez, to reach a place where it can hold elections.

More than half of U.S. voters oppose the Trump administration running Venezuela, according to a poll from Quinnipiac University.

Paul is part of a bipartisan group of lawmakers who want to limit Trump’s ability to conduct further attacks against Venezuela after the U.S. military’s recent move to strike the country and capture Maduro, which the Kentucky Republican has said amounts to war.

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The group attempted to pass a War Powers resolution last week to block the president from additional intervention without congressional approval, but the effort failed in the Senate.

“The only problem about a war powers vote now is that, since it hasn’t happened, there are a lot of Republicans who say, ‘Oh, that’s prospective. I’m not going to tie his hands prospectively,'” Paul said on Sunday. 

“The problem is, if you wait until after an invasion, whereas the administration argues, we don’t know it’s a war until we count the casualties. That’s sort of a crazy definition of war, because our job is to initiate or declare war,” he added.