NationalWatch

FIRST ON FOX: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) quietly arrested more than 1,000 illegal immigrants in the Washington, D.C., region in what federal sources said was one of the agency’s most successful operations to date.

Multiple ICE sources told Fox News that the agency arrested 1,328 illegal immigrants over 14 days in the Washington, D.C., suburbs. The arrests took place in Virginia and Maryland, both of which have sanctuary-type policies in place.

Of those arrested, almost 400 illegal immigrants had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, including a Salvadoran national wanted in Richmond, Virginia, on a murder warrant. Other crimes included rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, DUI, robbery and attempted murder.

Additionally, ICE officers arrested members of the foreign terrorist organizations MS-13 and Tren de Aragua and the 18th Street Gang. 

ABIGAIL SPANBERGER’S VIRGINIA A ‘HOTBED’ FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIME, DHS SAYS AFTER LATEST RAPE CHARGE

The operation comes as Maryland and Virginia, particularly Fairfax County, Virginia, have seen significant crime involving illegal immigrants, including violent and sexual offenses.

The operation, titled “Operation Safe Community — Washington, D.C.,” took place from Aug. 1-14.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told Fox News that “the brave men and women of ICE are hard at work every single day getting these dangerous illegal aliens out of our country.”

“Over the course of just two weeks in Virginia and Maryland, they arrested sexual assailants, kidnappers, drunk drivers, robbers, and gang members,” Mullin said.

Mullin added that “while sanctuary politicians in Virginia and Maryland keep putting the needs of illegal aliens over the safety of the American people, the Trump Administration will always put American citizens first.”

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S IMMIGRATION PUSH FUELS ICE’S BIGGEST ARREST MONTH IN AGENCY HISTORY

“By arresting and removing illegal aliens from our communities, we will make America safe again,” Mullin said.

Among those arrested during the operation was Jamaican illegal immigrant Rowan Andrew Brown, whose criminal history includes convictions for identity theft, kidnapping and illegal reentry and an arrest for fraud. ICE officers arrested Brown in Alexandria, Virginia, a particularly affluent suburb of D.C. 

Also in Alexandria, ICE arrested Angel Gabriel Ortiz-Hernandez, from Guatemala, whose criminal history includes arrests for rape of a mentally incapacitated victim and two counts of aggravated sexual battery of an incapacitated victim. 

While much of the operation was focused on arresting illegal immigrants in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, the ICE sources said officers also conducted targeted immigration enforcement actions throughout the entirety of both Virginia and Maryland. 

In Harrisonburg, Virginia, ICE arrested a Honduran woman named Estrella Reyes-Funez, whose criminal history includes a conviction for felony hit-and-run and arrests for making a threat to bomb or burn, assault and battery on a family member and violating a protective order. 

Meanwhile, in Richmond, ICE arrested Eygner Wilfredo Huezo-Moran, from El Salvador, who has a warrant for murder and use of a firearm in the commission of murder. 

ICE arrested another Salvadoran national and MS-13 member named German Mejia-Baires in Manassas, Virginia. His criminal history includes an arrest for felony malicious wounding and convictions for driving while intoxicated, driving on a suspended license and illegal reentry. 

DHS said that all these individuals arrested will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the U.S. 

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ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Acting Assistant Director Patricia Hyde commented that “our officers are the best in the world at finding people who do not want to be located.”

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“That’s exactly what we did throughout the course of this operation,” said Hyde. “Removing these criminal alien offenders from Virginia and Maryland neighborhoods makes for much safer communities, and that is exactly what the men and women of ICE work to accomplish every day across our great nation.”

The Trump administration unveiled a proposal on Monday to codify an unprecedented fee of more than $100,000 for cap-subject H-1B petitions for highly skilled foreign workers, replacing a charge first imposed by presidential proclamation last year that has thus far been blocked by a federal court.

The Department of Homeland Security’s proposed rule would charge $103,265 as an additional fee for every H-1B petition subject to the annual statutory cap, including petitions eligible for the advanced-degree exemption.

The worker visas are heavily relied on in the tech, education and research industries.

The fee would be used to cover the federal government’s costs of administering the legal immigration system, including actions carried out by DHS and the Department of Justice, Department of State and Department of Labor.

FEDERAL JUDGE STRIKES DOWN TRUMP’S $100K H-1B VISA FEE, RULING IT AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL TAX

“The proposed H‑1B fee is intended to recover the costs incurred across the federal government to adjudicate, vet, and support lawful immigration programs that otherwise must be funded by taxpayers,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler said in a news release.

The fee, which was first temporarily imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration last year, was blocked by a federal judge in June in an order that barred the federal government from collecting the money.

An appeals court is reviewing the judge’s decision while a different court considers whether a challenge to the fee by a major business group was properly rejected.

The temporary fee increase expires next month, one year after it was issued. The proposed rule by DHS was posted for public inspection Monday and is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday. It would make the $103,265 fee permanent.

The charge could be finalized by the end of the year.

The H-1B program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers with training in specialty occupations, with 65,000 of these visas offered annually under the regular cap.

Another 20,000 are offered for workers with a master’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution, generally granted for up to three years but typically extendable to a total of six years. Those visas typically came with fees between $2,000 and $5,000 before Trump’s order, according to Reuters.

The proposed fee would apply to all cap-subject H-1B petitions, including petitions filed for some foreign students already in the United States seeking to change to H-1B status. It would not apply to cap-exempt H-1B petitions; routine extensions for current H-1B holders generally are not subject to the annual cap.

Trump has argued that the H-1B program is abused by many companies who replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor. But business groups and many U.S. companies have contended that the program is needed to address a lack of qualified American workers for certain jobs and to allow American firms to bring in the most skilled workers to support the U.S. economy.

According to court filings, about 70 employers had paid the $100,000 fee on a total of 85 visa applications as of late February.

FEDERAL JUDGE BLASTS RUBIO’S 75-COUNTRY VISA FREEZE AS ‘ORWELLIAN,’ STRIKES DOWN POLICY

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The fee is being challenged by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce of Democratic-led states and a coalition of labor unions and employers.

Those complaints could be altered to challenge the rule proposed this week once it is finalized.

The Trump administration has also ordered increased vetting of H-1B applicants and proposed a new visa selection process that would favor higher-skilled and better-paid workers.

Earlier this month, DHS added fees of up to $4,500 to applications to extend the stay of H-1B workers or to transfer employees based in other countries to the U.S.

Reuters contributed to this report.

The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to revoke business and tourist visas held by as many as 200,000 foreigners who have applied for asylum in the U.S.

The State Department is expected to announce the sweeping action in the coming weeks, The Associated Press reported, citing internal documents and two U.S. officials.

The effort would target B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to foreigners who later sought asylum. If carried out, the move would mark the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history and could face legal challenges, according to the outlet.

FOREIGN DRUNK DRIVERS COULD FACE SWIFT BOOT OUT OF COUNTRY UNDER TRUMP’S ‘AMERICA FIRST’ CRACKDOWN

“We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

Pigott did not confirm how many people could be affected, saying the revocations would occur on a “rolling basis” and the total remained “dynamic,” according to the AP.

The move would not automatically lead to immediate deportations.

Foreigners with pending asylum cases would generally be reclassified but would lose their status as business or tourist travelers, officials told the AP.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ORDERS GREEN CARD APPLICANTS TO LEAVE THE US, APPLY FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRIES

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said Monday that asylum should not be used to bypass immigration laws.

“People in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” Landau wrote on X. “Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law.”

TRUMP TELLS FOREIGN STUDENTS: OVERSTAY YOUR VISA, FACE THE CONSEQUENCES

B1 visas are typically issued for business travel, while B2 visas cover tourism, family visits and medical care. Currently, applicants must demonstrate that they plan to return to their home countries.

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The potential revocations come as the Trump administration cracks down on what it considers abuse of the immigration system. The State Department has revoked roughly 175,000 visas over the past 18 months, according to The Associated Press.

The State Department could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A decade before Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed appeared to question how JD Vance’s grandfather would have regarded Usha Vance, the vice president wrote that one of his “great regrets” was that his grandparents never got to meet his wife.

“Last, but certainly not least, is my darling wife, Usha,” Vance wrote in 2016 in the acknowledgments of his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy.” He added, “… though it is one of the great regrets of my life that Mamaw and Papaw never met her, it is the source of my greatest joy that I did.”

The passage was cited repeatedly on social media over the weekend as conservatives dragged the Michigan Senate candidate over his swipe at second lady Usha Vance. The controversy comes as El-Sayed fights for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat against Republican Mike Rogers, putting the Democrat’s rhetoric under a brighter spotlight as the high-stakes general election takes shape.

VANCE UNLOADS ON EL-SAYED OVER SHARIA REMARKS: ‘THAT’S NOT MY GRANDPA’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY’

El-Sayed invoked Vance’s family after the vice president criticized his past comments about Sharia law at an Ohio rally this month, arguing that the Michigan Democrat represented a version of the party his grandfather — whom Vance called “Papaw” — would not have recognized.

“So do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no…” El-Sayed said, a remark critics called racist and interpreted as an insinuation that Papaw would not have accepted Usha because of her Indian heritage.

Critics were quick to call out El-Sayed, with many questioning his attitude toward women and others pointing to Vance’s book.

“Why does Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed just assume that all White midwestern grandparents are racist?” asked Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas.

EL-SAYED UNDER FIRE ONLINE AFTER TAKING AIM AT USHA VANCE, FEMALE TRUMP AIDE IN WEEKEND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

“El-Sayed is an absolute vile, abhorrent, PIG. Usha Vance is a beloved figure in our country and in my opinion Vice President Vance’s most powerful secret weapon,” said Meghan McCain. “Women in America truly love her – attack her at your own peril democrat psychopaths. It will backfire.”

“If you’re a rural White American living in Michigan, just remember El-Sayed believes you’re a racist,” said commentator Ryan Girdusky.

“You are a racist creep,” said journalist Emily Schrader in response to El-Sayed’s post.

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Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed and the Vance family for comment.

“Hillbilly Elegy,” published in 2016, chronicled Vance’s upbringing in Middletown, Ohio, and his family’s Appalachian roots in Kentucky, with his grandparents — whom he called “Mamaw” and “Papaw” — playing central roles in the memoir and his childhood.

Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca contributed to this report.

Sen. Adam Schiff’s latest attack on President Donald Trump was challenged by an IndyCar veteran who pushed back on the California Democrat’s charge that the commander-in-chief was wasting taxpayer funds for his own “self-aggrandizing.”

Schiff criticized Trump for ordering the Washington race by executive order and accused the president of using the motorsports “spectacle” to distract Americans from higher costs and policy failures.

“While you struggle with the cost of gas, Trump offers you the spectacle of an IndyCar race hoping you will not notice,” Schiff said Sunday.

START YOUR ENGINES: HERE IS YOUR CRASH COURSE ON THE INDYCAR FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX WEEKEND

“More taxpayer money spent on his self-aggrandizing distractions. And you get higher taxes and higher costs,” he added, although major automotive firm Penske said it bankrolled the event.

Schiff posted the criticism on X alongside video of Trump waving the green flag as FOX Sports announcer Leigh Diffey got the race underway.

PRESIDENT TRUMP REPORTEDLY WILL GO ON A LAP OF HONOR AROUND THE FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX STREET CIRCUIT

Race fans and other critics lambasted Schiff’s comments, including IndyCar driver Graham Rahal, who reminded the California Democrat that the race was privately funded and argued it benefited government coffers because thousands of spectators traveled to Washington and spent money.

“No, no, Adam. He wanted you to notice and bask in the pride of being American, watch great racing and patriotism on display,” Rahal responded on X.

DRIVERS JOSEF NEWGARDEN AND KYLE KIRKWOOD TALK INDYCAR’S ‘ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME’ FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX

“Not only that, this was privately funded, not government although it drove thousands of folks to the DC area that have never been. That’s economic impact for you,” said Rahal, who finished 13th in the event. His father, Bobby Rahal, is a well-known motorsports driver and executive.

Rahal also argued that the event brought visitors to Washington who might not otherwise have seen the nation’s capital.

WORLD CUP ENERGY CARRIES INTO FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX AS GLOBAL FANS CELEBRATE AMERICA’S HISTORIC BIRTHDAY

“And guess what, hundreds of thousands of Americans, blue & red, as well as fans from all over the world loved the Freedom250.”

“What kind of loser posts this?” added Breitbart editor Joel Pollak. “People had fun.”

KYLE KIRKWOOD HANGS ON TO WIN FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX IN WASHINGTON

As Rahal noted, Penske Corporation picked up most of the race tab. The automotive and logistics company, based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and Reading, Pennsylvania, is led by Roger Penske, who also owns the Team Penske racing organization with drivers in NASCAR and IndyCar.

When Washington’s NBC affiliate interviewed Penske President Bud Denker at the track and asked who was paying for the Freedom250, Denker responded: “We are.”

TRUMP SHOWCASES RAW AMERICAN MUSCLE IN PREVIEW OF FIRST-OF-ITS KIND AMERICA 250 GRAND PRIX

“When I say vast, the only part we’re not paying is, we’re raising some revenue by having sponsors with the suites I’m building [along the course],” Denker told the outlet, adding it was not intended to be a “break-even” venture.

Penske did not cover every expense. Security was handled by local and federal law enforcement, including through federal funding provided to Washington for major events, according to the NBC station.

RACER STING RAY ROBB GEARS UP FOR FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX: ‘THIS IS MORE THAN JUST AN INDYCAR EVENT’

The White House also fired back at Schiff, saying the Democrat put his personal animus ahead of the American people.

“It’s a complete disgrace that Pencil-Neck Adam Schiff is willing to trash the United States of America during its historic 250th birthday celebrations simply because he hates President Trump,” said White House spokesman Davis Ingle.

“The great people of California deserve better,” Ingle said.

Former electronics executive Sam Antar also responded to the senator, saying the lawmaker “apparently didn’t bother checking who actually paid for the race before blaming Trump for ‘more taxpayer money spent’.”

“Schiff saw Trump, started typing, and skipped the part where you check the facts first. That’s how you end up volunteering for your own Community Note,” Antar said.

Conservative commentator “Bad Hombre” replied by posting an image of then-President Joe Biden posing with attendees at a White House lawn gala featuring transgender and LGBT activists.

“The race was privately funded by Penske/IndyCar, pencil neck,” Hombre said.

“But now that we’re on the topic of taxpayer-funded events, why were you cool with forcing taxpayers to spend $1.3 million on this?”

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Trump has shown support for American motorsports, praising his friendship with Penske, becoming the first president since Ronald Reagan to attend a Daytona 500 and hosting several NASCAR drivers and the circuit’s former CEO, Brian France, at campaign rallies.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Rahal and Schiff for further comment.

President Donald Trump on Monday marked the back-to-school season by promoting his administration’s school choice agenda and pledging to put parents “back in charge” of where and how their children are educated.

Speaking at a White House event alongside Education Secretary Linda McMahon, students, parents and educators, Trump said his administration is working to expand school choice while removing what he called “far left extremism” from classrooms.

“We’re putting the parents back in charge,” Trump said. “They’re the ones that love our children. They’re the ones that should be in charge.”

Trump argued that despite how much the U.S. spends on education, student outcomes should be stronger and families need more schooling options.

NEW YORK JOINS FEDERAL SCHOOL CHOICE INITIATIVE DESPITE TRADITIONAL DEMOCRAT OPPOSITION

“We want every parent to have the power to send their child to a high-quality school that shares their values. It’s so important,” Trump said.

The president highlighted the Education Freedom Tax Credit, which beginning in 2027, will offer taxpayers a credit of up to $1,700 for eligible donations to scholarship-granting organizations.

Those organizations can provide scholarships for education-related expenses, including private school tuition, tutoring, school fees and classroom supplies. The funds can also benefit students attending public schools.

The White House said nearly 52 million students could be eligible for the Education Freedom Tax Credit.

DEMOCRATS AIM TO KILL SCHOOL CHOICE FROM WISCONSIN TO THE REST OF THE US

Trump also highlighted changes to 529 education savings plans that allow families to withdraw up to $20,000 annually for K-12 expenses, doubling the previous limit.

Several parents joined Trump at the event to describe how expanded school choice could help their families.

Caleb Griffith, a North Carolina father of five who said his family includes two children with special needs, said the Education Freedom Tax Credit will give his children “access to the services they need to be successful in the most formative years of their lives.”

“I want to tell you, we only get one chance to educate our children, and our children are the future of America,” Griffith said.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TARGETS HEAD START BUREAUCRACY IN MOVE ADVOCATES SAY PUTS PARENTS IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

McMahon said the administration is seeking what she described as a “hard reset” in American education, with a goal of returning “to common sense.”

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“This school year, American parents and students have so much to be excited about because the Trump administration is steering education back to its rightful focus, serving students so that they are prepared for successful futures,” McMahon said.

The Supreme Court on Monday handed the Trump administration a victory, allowing it to enforce President Donald Trump’s “election integrity” executive order restricting mail-in voting ahead of the November midterms. 

The high court lifted an injunction that had blocked the order in 23 states that challenged it after the administration appealed in July; Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented. 

The U.S. Postal Service and Justice Department said they would immediately implement the revised mail-ballot restrictions after the ruling.

The decision appears to leave room for additional court challenges that could further slow Trump’s order.

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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: The State Department tore into the “rogue judge” who overturned its freeze on immigrant visas from 75 countries after she blasted the administration’s legal rationale as “an exercise in Orwellian logic.”

“American taxpayer-funded public benefits belong to Americans,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott told Fox News Digital. “President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient to protect these public benefits for American citizens.”

“This rogue judge’s misguided opinion wrongfully undermines the longstanding legal authority of the Secretary of State. We will keep fighting for commonsense visa policies that put America First.”

U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled Friday that the State Department could not force consular officers to deny immigrant visas to otherwise eligible applicants solely because they are nationals of one of the 75 countries covered by the policy.

BIDEN JUDGE OVERRULED ON KEY TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY

Vargas, a Biden appointee who joined the Southern District of New York bench in November 2024, previously spent more than two decades as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan. She earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a law degree from Yale, then clerked for future Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on the Second Circuit.

Earlier this year, Vargas temporarily blocked Department of Government Efficiency personnel from accessing sensitive Treasury payment systems, citing privacy and cybersecurity concerns. But she later narrowed that order and allowed vetted and trained DOGE employees to access the systems.

Vargas found that Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s directive required officers to deny visas even after determining an applicant was not barred under any existing provision of immigration law. She vacated the policy and visa refusals based solely on the directive, sending those cases back for further consideration.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ORDERS GREEN CARD APPLICANTS TO LEAVE THE US, APPLY FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRIES

The Immigration and Nationality Act allows consular officers to deny immigrant visas to applicants they determine are likely to become a “public charge,” meaning dependent on government assistance. Consular officers are supposed to make that assessment on an individual basis.

The Trump administration has revived a more expansive approach to that screening, directing officers to weigh factors including an applicant’s age, health, finances, English proficiency and potential need for long-term medical care.

TRUMP SCORES MAJOR IMMIGRATION VICTORY AS JUDGE CLEARS WAY TO END TPS PROTECTIONS FOR THOUSANDS OF SOMALIS

But Vargas found that the State Department went beyond that individualized review when it directed officers to refuse immigrant visas to otherwise eligible applicants from the 75 countries simply because of their nationality.

Fox News Digital first reported in January that the State Department would pause immigrant visa issuances to citizens of 75 countries, including Somalia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia and Iran, while it reassessed screening procedures meant to identify applicants likely to become a public charge.

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The policy did not apply to tourist or other nonimmigrant visas. Affected applicants could still submit applications and attend interviews, but consular officers were directed to refuse immigrant visas under the pause.

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The ruling does not require the State Department to issue visas to any particular applicant. Consular officers may still deny a visa based on an individualized public-charge finding or another statutory ground of inadmissibility.

Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan Abdul El-Sayed is trying to put some distance between himself and one of his top supporters, Hasan Piker, after the controversial streamer sparked a new firestorm.

El-Sayed, who is facing off against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in battleground Michigan in a high-stakes Senate showdown, on Monday emphasized in a statement, “I want to be crystal clear, nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople.”

The statement from El-Sayed came after Piker, on his stream last week, featured an image of state Sen. Jeremy Moss, the Democratic nominee in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District. Moss, who is Jewish, has said that people are sharing a fake audio clip of him claiming that his entire reason for running for Congress is to make sure that America continues to support Israel.

“If Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they are singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone is going to come around and take action, not against the state of Israel, mind you, but against American Jews,” Piker warned.

DEMOCRATS ‘WHO NEVER VOTED REPUBLICAN’ BACKING THIS GOP SENATE NOMINEE

Piker, who endorsed El-Sayed for the Democratic nomination and appeared at some of the candidate’s campaign events including a primary night party in Detroit, has repeatedly stood by his numerous past comments critical of Israel over its ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.

Piker’s latest comments have been blasted by a growing number of Republicans and Democrats since they grabbed attention this past weekend. Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten of Michigan charged that Piker is “a hack who thrives on hate.”

Rogers, in a social media post on Sunday, took aim at both Piker and El-Sayed.

“More calls for violence coming out of the El-Sayed campaign,” Rogers said. And he claimed, “Here is his running mate, Hasan Piker, saying that if AMERICAN JEWS support Israel, they will be violently targeted because of it.”

Rogers added, “Absolutely DISGUSTING. If Abdul El-Sayed had any courage at all, he would call this out and disavow Hasan Piker once and for all. We’re waiting, Abdul…”

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El-Sayed, in his statement, wrote, “I believe all Americans deserve the right to advocate for what they believe without fear of violence. This is particularly true for communities that have been intimidated for their beliefs in the past.”

“My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters. Antisemitism is a scourge, and we need to address it in all its forms. And I stand against any rhetoric that puts the community at risk,” he added.

In an apparent jab at Rogers and other Republicans who have repeatedly tied El-Sayed to Piker, the Democratic nominee wrote that “while politicians and pundits try to make this race about a Twitch streamer, we’re going to be talking about gas, groceries, good schools, and healthcare. Because that’s what Michiganders keep asking about.’

A former Wayne County Health Department director, El-Sayed, if elected in November, would make history as the nation’s first Muslim senator. The epidemiologist who unsuccessfully ran for governor as an insurgent candidate in 2018 has made support for Medicare for all a major component of his campaign and has also called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLL IN MICHIGAN’S BLOCKBUSTER SENATE RACE

But it’s El-Sayed’s stance and comments on Israel that have offended some Jewish people in Michigan, a state that also has a large Arab and Muslim population.

El-Sayed used the word “bloodthirsty” to characterize Israel’s military moves in Gaza in an MS NOW interview this month and accused Israeli leadership of genocide against Palestinians. He has argued against unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel, as have other progressive politicians. And El-Sayed has repeatedly declined to directly answer whether Israel has the right to exist.

But El-Sayed has also repeatedly stated that he stands “in solidarity with my Jewish sisters and brothers” to “condemn antisemitism.”

After falling just 20,000 votes shy of winning the U.S. Senate election in Michigan two years ago, Rogers is urging Democrats, including Jewish voters, to cross party lines and vote for him as he makes a second straight Senate bid.

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After a combustible and divisive Democratic Senate primary in which El-Sayed narrowly edged more moderate Rep. Haley Stevens for the nomination, Rogers is heavily courting Democrats disaffected with their left-wing nominee.

A key part of Rogers’ pitch is directed toward Jewish Democrats, who are uneasy with El–Sayed’s vocal criticism of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and who are outraged by El-Sayed’s association with Piker.

“I usually vote Democrat, but I’m going to be voting for Mike Rogers,” Rabbi Asher Lopatin said as he stood next to Rogers late last week as the former congressman and former FBI agent unveiled his Democrats for Mike coalition at a campaign event on Detroit’s west side.

Lopatin, a rabbi in suburban Detroit who has made trips to the Middle East in search of peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors, argued that El-Sayed “has shown contempt for the Jewish community and, frankly, for American values by making Hasan Piker, a vicious antisemite and racist, his campaign surrogate and somebody he buddies up with.”

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Meanwhile, some Jewish leaders in Michigan are circulating an open letter urging Jewish Democrats and independents in the Great Lakes battleground state to sign their names in support of Rogers. The news was first reported this week by the Jewish Insider and confirmed by Fox News Digital.

“This is sort of a do-or-die moment,” a person involved with the letter who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely told Fox News Digital. “There are many lifelong Democrats who are feeling homeless. … It’s not just a leftward drift but has turned into an anti-Jewish drift as well.”

But Joan Lowenstein, endorsement chair of the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus, doesn’t condone the letter and told Fox News Digital her group is keeping its distance.

“We are a part of the Michigan Democratic Party, and are not going to advocate that anyone vote for a Republican,” she said.

But Lowenstein, who also sits on the Michigan Democratic Party Central Committee, said those behind the letter “are passionate about this and feel it’s an existential issue, and I think that represents a lot of people. And, so, they have to do what they have to do.”

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El-Sayed Communications Director Roxie Richner last week told Fox News Digital, “Abdul has always stressed the importance of differentiating between criticizing the state of Israel and antisemitism.”

She said El-Sayed “remains in regular dialogue with Jewish leaders across the state while building the broadest possible coalition to defeat Rogers, restore Democratic control of the U.S. Senate and throw sand in the gears of Trump’s agenda.”

President Donald Trump’s trade talks with Canada have stalled – with threats of retaliatory tariffs ramping up again – but Vice President JD Vance was in Maine, explaining to voters that Canada has been friendlier to China on trade than to them, particularly farmers.

“They treat Chinese goods more fairly than they do the goods that come from the people of Maine: It’s insanity,” Vance said during a question-and-answer session in Brewer, Maine, on Monday afternoon. “And what we’ve said to Canada is stop it.”

Vance said he believes the U.S. and Canada had been close to reaching a trade agreement before negotiations broke down, blaming Ottawa for bringing what he described as “unreasonable last-minute demands” to the table.

TRUMP TRADE CHIEF WARNS CANADA WALKED AWAY FROM ‘THE BEST DEAL’ TO TRIGGER 50% U.S. TARIFFS

“I frankly thought we had a deal,” Vance said. “I think that we should have a deal, but I think that we need to send a message loud and clear to the prime minister of Canada: Stop taking advantage of the people of Maine. Stop taking advantage of America. It’s over.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Friday that Canada was suspending negotiations. Trump posted Monday on Truth Social that he plans to impose 50% tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles, auto parts and steel beginning in January 2027.

“Canada has been ripping off the United States of America for years,” Trump wrote. “Their ridiculously high tariffs on our Farmers and farm products has made life impossible for these great American Patriots, and has long created a 60 Billion Dollar Deficit between our two Countries. Not sustainable, and NOT ANYMORE!”

TRUMP ALLIES PUSH TO ARM PRESIDENT WITH NEW TARIFF WEAPON TO PUNISH COUNTRIES ‘RIPPING OFF’ AMERICA

Vance made the remarks during an appearance at Compotech, a defense technology manufacturer in Brewer, as the vice president fielded a question about how the administration’s tariffs could affect Maine businesses and consumers.

“We’re very mindful of the fact that Maine is a border state with Canada,” Vance said. “There’s a lot of cross-border transaction between Maine and Canada. And what we’re trying to do here is just make sure that Maine actually gets a fair deal.”

Vance argued that Canada and China have been among the worst offenders when it comes to trade barriers against the U.S., while drawing a sharp distinction between what Washington expects from an economic competitor and from a longtime ally.

CHAD WOLF: AMERICA CANNOT IGNORE CHINA’S ECONOMIC ATTACK ON US INDUSTRY

“China, you of course expect — they’re our biggest economic competitor,” Vance said. “I would expect that from China. I would not expect that from Canada.”

Vance then briefly referred to Canada as a “state” before immediately correcting himself, referencing Trump’s long-running trolling of Canada, teasing it as the 51st state.

“We have to remember Canada is a state — sorry, Freudian slip — that was actually an accident,” Vance said. “Canada is a country that has underinvested in its military that quite literally would get invaded by a foreign country were it not for the umbrella of protection provided by the United States of America.”

CHAD WOLF: CANADA CAN’T EXPECT FREE TRADE WHILE LEAVING OUR NORTHERN BORDER VULNERABLE

He argued that Canada had responded to that relationship by imposing trade restrictions on American products while expecting the U.S. not to retaliate.

“They apply ridiculous tariffs and other non-tariff duties on Maine products coming into Canada, and they don’t expect Maine or anybody else to fight back,” Vance said. “We’re sick of that.”

“We are actually going to fight back against unfair trade practices, whether it’s coming from China or Canada.”

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION EXPANDS ‘PRODUCT OF USA’ LABEL AS PUSH FOR AMERICAN-RAISED BEEF GROWS

Vance pointed specifically to dairy products, contrasting the treatment of Canadian products entering Maine with the tariffs that can apply when U.S. dairy exports exceed Canada’s tariff-rate quotas.

“If a Maine farmer sends dairy products into Canada, they could be paying as much as a 250% tariff,” Vance said. “Now, how is it fair to the farmers of Maine that they pay 250% when the Canadian farmers pay nothing?”

CANADA REPORTEDLY SCRAPS JOINT BRIDGE CELEBRATION WITH US AFTER TRUMP RENEWS TARIFF THREAT

Canada’s dairy system provides duty-free access for set quantities of U.S. products under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, but steep tariffs can apply once imports exceed those quotas. Canada’s tariff schedule, for example, lists a 241% over-quota rate for certain milk products, while other dairy categories can carry even higher rates.

Vance also accused Canada of allowing Chinese goods to use the country as a route into the North American market, saying that issue had become part of the latest negotiations.

“We know that Canada allows itself to be used as a back door for Chinese goods,” Vance said.

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Vance nevertheless left open the possibility of the two sides returning to an agreement, even as he made clear the administration was prepared to keep tariffs in place without concessions from Ottawa.

“I think that we should have a deal,” Vance said. “We expect fairness in our trade policy.”

Conservatives are blasting the Charleston, South Carolina, chapter of Democratic Socialists of America after the group shared a Facebook ad seeking volunteers to provide child care at meetings and help support its “next generation of comrades.”

“No experience with kids needed! Come ready to learn how to grow and support our next generation of comrades,” DSA Charleston posted to its Facebook page Friday. “If you’d like to help support our next generation of comrades, join this training to review best practices, roleplay through scenarios, and get you feeling confident to welcome and care for our budding comrades.”

The group is offering the virtual Zoom training Monday evening to adults with or without children.

The training comes as DSA’s influence within Democratic politics is growing, with socialist candidates notching primary wins as the midterm campaign intensifies and giving the organization a broader platform for its policies and organizing.

DEMOCRATS LURE ‘POLITICALLY HOMELESS’ GEN Z TOWARD SOCIALISM — A COUNTERATTACK IS TAKING SHAPE

Critics accused the group of using “indoctrination” tactics, arguing the training reflects a broader push by socialists to court children.

“DSA childhood training for future ‘comrades’ in SOUTH CAROLINA! These people must be investigated,” South Carolina Freedom Caucus founding chairman Adam Morgan wrote.

“They’re indoctrinating them as much as possible and it’s disgusting,” said another user.

“They used to tell us socialism was just a Republican talking point. Now they’re advertising meetings for their ‘comrades.’ Socialism isn’t coming to South Carolina — it’s already here. And we CANNOT afford to ignore it. Far-left socialist groups are organizing in our communities and targeting the next generation with their radical agenda,” wrote the South Carolina Republican Party account.

South Carolina is solid Republican territory, with President Donald Trump carrying the state by nearly 18 points in 2024 after Republicans won it in every presidential election dating back to 1980.

INSIDE TEACHERS’ UNION MAY DAY ‘DRESS REHEARSAL’ CRITICS WARN WILL ‘GROOM’ STUDENTS INTO DEM ‘FOOT SOLDIERS’

“Indoctrinate them young before they can become free thinkers,” said one user.

In March, the chapter held their first “Comrades With Kids hangout” in which parents were invited to bring their kids to participate in card games, crafts, and other activities, Fox News Digital found, according to a prior social media post.

“Do you see what’s happening?? Mamdani is offering ‘free’ babysitting so they could turn your kids into socialists. They’re doing this all over the country,” wrote popular conservative accounts Libs of TikTok.

Separately, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has made child care a central part of his agenda, including through the city’s new “Parents’ Night Out” program.

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Mamdani’s new pilot program titled, “Parents’ Night Out,” offers free-of-charge babysitting to parents for one night.

Nearly 300 children attended the Aug. 16 program at NYC Parks recreation centers across all five boroughs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Through a separate partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs, parents were offered free and low-cost cultural experiences while their children participated in the program.

Fox News Digital reached out Mamdani’s office and DSA Charleston.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is opposing a last-minute push to overhaul Brooklyn Democratic Party rules, arguing the proposed changes would undermine voters after reformers made gains in the June primary.

“I very much oppose these proposed changes, by the current Brooklyn Democratic Party chair,” Mamdani said. “I oppose them because they are an attempt to circumnavigate the will of voters.”

The proposals from Brooklyn Democratic Party chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn would add more than two dozen voting members to the party’s executive committee, which will choose the party chair this fall, after a slate of reformers won 22 district leader seats in the June primary, according to the City Reporter.

NYC TAXPAYERS COULD PAY TWICE UNDER MAMDANI’S CITY-OWNED GROCERY STORE PLAN

The newly elected district leaders will not take their seats until the fall, and Bichotte Hermelyn and her supporters still hold a majority as current district leaders prepare to vote on the proposed changes Tuesday night, according to the outlet.

Bichotte Hermelyn has described the changes as an effort to broaden participation in the party.

“We want to create a perception of inclusiveness,” she told NY1. In a video released by the Brooklyn Democratic organization, she said the proposals would “expand leadership” and “expand representation.”

The reformers have backed longtime Sunset Park district leader Julio Peña to become the next party chair. If the proposed changes pass, the additional voting members would take part in the fall leadership election.

VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE BLASTS MAMDANI, EL-SAYED, AOC AND OSSOFF IN RAPID-FIRE TIKTOK ROAST

Mamdani said the Brooklyn Democratic Party should reflect what New Yorkers want, rather than the kind of politics that has left people “disengaged and disaffected with politics at large.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams have also urged the party not to move forward with the changes.

“New Yorkers deserve leaders who are committed to serving their communities, not rewriting rules to hold onto power,” they said in a joint statement obtained by City and State New York. “Changing the makeup of an executive committee on the eve of a leadership vote goes against what we believe in as Democrats and should not move forward.”

Another proposal would give former party chairs a vote in future leadership elections even after they are no longer district leaders.

According to the City Reporter, that appears to mean former party chair Clarence Norman could vote on future party leadership. Norman resigned in 2005 after multiple corruption convictions, including one for soliciting bribes from judicial nominees.

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After the leadership election, another proposed change would allow additional voting members to be appointed from each Assembly district, potentially bringing the executive committee to about 90 members.

The State Department is cracking down on a popular form of visa fraud through a sophisticated worldwide operation that has already revoked hundreds of visas.

The department’s spokesman, Tommy Pigott, told Fox News Digital that under the direction of President Donald Trump, the American government is partnering with agencies across the globe to halt the practice of birth tourism.

Birth tourism refers to travel to the United States for the primary purpose of giving birth so a child can obtain U.S. citizenship. The practice has been linked to visa-fraud schemes in which applicants conceal or misrepresent the purpose of their travel, often while seeking entry on visitor visas. A U.S.-citizen child may also create future immigration options for family members, including the ability to petition for a parent after turning 21.

TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDERS TARGETING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, BIRTH TOURISM AFTER SUPREME COURT SETBACK

It has also become a for-profit industry, where facilitators of the fraud market their services for helping women break America’s laws through “birth in the U.S.” services, including arranging visa scams to get women into the country.

“The first step in that is identifying them,” Pigott said. “We have consular officers around the world that work with international partners, that work for law enforcement officials to identify patterns that indicate a birth tourism network, and then when that is identified, we take actions such as revoking their visas, which was the recent announcement that we made, to make sure that we’re dismantling those networks.”

ABBOTT ORDERS PROBE AFTER TEXAS HOSPITAL ADVERTISES ‘BIRTH PACKAGES’ IN MEXICO: ‘CITIZENSHIP IS NOT FOR SALE’

Earlier this month, the State Department announced that it was launching a Birth Tourism and Prevention Task Force.

“We’re making adjustments because it’s very unfair,” Trump said. “They’re building businesses around birthright citizenship. That’s not the way it was supposed to work. It’s a disgrace. They’re buying their way in, and we’re not going to let it happen.”

Through the task force, government officials are now analyzing in real time travel trends by visa holders around the world that are indicative of the practice.

TEXAS GOV ABBOTT SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER CRACKING DOWN ON ‘BIRTH TOURISM,’ SAYS US CITIZENSHIP NOT FOR SALE

In one recent case, a woman who came to the United States on a tourist visa under the impetus of a weeks-long vacation, continuously received visits from her partner, who lived outside the country. That pattern raised officials’ suspicions, who understood the partner’s movements as visits to the United States to support the woman in the latter stages of her pregnancy and possibly present in the country during the child’s birth.

“That was an indication that this was actually a birth tourism effort here, and we were able to take action to revoke those visas,” said Pigott. “So we’re able to analyze those travel patterns, analyze those instances that indicate fraud, look into those, and the task force we have allows us to take that action.

Pigott provided some examples of the blatant fraud.

BIRTH TOURISM COULD SOON CARRY A SEVERE NEW CONSEQUENCE FEW WOULD RISK: ‘EXISTENTIAL CRISIS’

“There were some advertisements that were being published talking about a world without borders or automatic guaranteed citizenship in their advertisements while they were pretending to offer health care services,” he said. “In reality, that is fraud, and the fraud actually doesn’t just end when it has to do with the birth tourism example of lying to the consular officer.”

“These networks are set up in the United States and then further coach these individuals on how to not pay their medical bills,” he continued. “So you have fraud when you enter the United States and then the American taxpayer is left footing the bill. It comes down to the fundamental principle: we’re gonna protect the sacred privilege of American citizenship and not allow this fraud to happen.”

TRUMP DOJ UNLEASHES LARGEST DENATURALIZATION EFFORT IN DEPARTMENT HISTORY — AND SAYS IT’S ‘ONLY THE BEGINNING’

The task force, officially launched on Aug. 12, has already revoked more than 750 visas tied to suspected birth-tourism activity. The State Department expects that number to increase dramatically in a very short period of time.

Pigott added that under the Trump administration, visa security is an important part of a much broader overall effort to secure the border, adding that the Biden administration, “did everything they could to allow for the abuse of our legal immigration system and allowed for the unprecedented border crisis that we saw.”

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Under President Joe Biden, an estimated 10 million people crossed the border into the United States illegally.

Resurfaced clips show Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon supporting abolishing the Electoral College, embracing ranked-choice voting and allowing voters to register on Election Day in a series of comments Republicans are seizing on as the democratic socialist begins her general-election campaign.

In one March 14 clip with the Clay County Speaks podcast, Nixon was asked about eliminating the Electoral College.

“Abolish the electoral college, I’m fine with that,” Nixon said. “I believe one vote, one person. We would have a different country right now if that was the case.”

She then supported abolishing the Senate filibuster, which gives the minority party a block on the majority’s agenda.

5 TAKEAWAYS FROM FLORIDA SENATE PRIMARY: GOP SEN ASHLEY MOODY WILL FACE DSA’S NIXON

Nixon also rejected nonparty voters participating in Democratic primary elections, saying it “marginalizes” the voter’s voice — echoing a rationale historically advanced for the Electoral College’s protecting smaller states from being drowned out by more populous ones.

Asked separately about ranked-choice voting , Nixon responded, “I’m totally fine with that.”

Nixon expressed the same positions publicly during a June online question-and-answer session with voters.

WATCH: DEMOCRATS ADMIT WHEN THEY’D ELIMINATE THE FILIBUSTER AS SAVE ACT FIGHT HEATS UP

On the same Clay County Speaks podcast, Nixon also advocated same-day voter registration.

“I also believe that,” she said, “you can register same day and vote that day.”

Florida currently closes voter registration ahead of Election Day rather than permitting voters to register at the polls.

WHO IS ANGIE NIXON? BULLHORN-WIELDING SOCIALIST UPSETS ESTABLISHMENT FAVORITE IN SUNSHINE STATE STUNNER

“Far-left socialist Angie Nixon isn’t running to protect our elections — she’s running to dismantle them,” RNC Election Integrity Communications Director Ally Triolo told Fox News Digital in a statement. “From abolishing the Electoral College and embracing ranked-choice voting to attacking voter ID and commonsense election safeguards, Nixon’s radical agenda is a direct threat to American election security. Anyone determined to tear down this sacred pillar of our nation is unfit for public office.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Nixon’s Florida state representative’s office and her campaign for comments and an interview, but they did not immediately respond.

Nixon, a Florida state representative and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, stunned the Democratic establishment last week when she defeated heavily funded former national security official Alexander Vindman for the party’s U.S. Senate nomination. She will face Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., in November.

The RNC is rebuking Nixon’s views about how elections should be run as the Jacksonville Democrat makes the jump from the state legislature to a campaign that is expected to draw national attention and potentially big dollars from Democrats in a bid to flip the Senate majority this November.

CARVILLE TELLS DEMOCRATS TO ‘JUST QUIT FIGHTING’ AGAINST VOTER ID REQUIREMENTS, WARNS IT POLLS AT 75%

Nixon has also sharply criticized election integrity measures enacted by Florida Republicans under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

A 2021 law signed by DeSantis shortened the duration of standing vote-by-mail requests, required voters to provide additional identifying information when requesting ballots and placed new restrictions on ballot drop boxes and third-party ballot collection. Republicans enacted additional mail-voting requirements in 2023.

The fight comes as voter identification requirements continue to draw overwhelming support nationally, despite the Senate failing to move the Save America Act that requires voter ID nationwide.

A Fox News poll conducted July 17-20 found 83% of registered voters supported requiring photo identification to register to vote, while 77% backed requiring photo ID to cast a ballot. Support crossed party lines, including 72% of Democrats who supported an ID requirement for registration and 62% who supported one for voting.

FOX NEWS POLL: SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR BOTH VOTER ID LAWS AND MAIL-IN BALLOTS

Nixon’s rhetoric has extended beyond election rules to Republican officials and the state’s judicial system.

“What it’s going to take is voting these fascists out of office,” Nixon said, repeatedly applying that label to Florida DeSantis.

“We have a governor that continually cheats,” Nixon told a podcast in 2024. “At the end of the day, he’s a fascist, he’s a dictator.”

Nixon also accused Florida courts of protecting DeSantis and his political allies because of the governor’s role in judicial appointments.

DAVID MARCUS: WHY DEMOCRATS’ HAREBRAINED POPULAR VOTE SCHEME MIGHT BACKFIRE

“When you have courts that have been chosen by a fascist, of course they’re gonna look out for the fascists,” she told that same podcast.

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Nixon now faces Moody in the Nov. 3 special election for the Senate seat formerly held by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), a top GOP campaign group aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., announced that it and other allies have raised over $500 million ahead of the 2026 U.S. Senate elections, setting new records as they look to defend a Republican majority in the upcoming midterms.

Despite a historical precedent that sets long odds for the president’s party in the midterms, Republicans have built a war chest in recent months to put Democrats on the defensive in the House and Senate.

“Thanks to Leader John Thune and our generous investors, Senate Leadership Fund and its affiliated groups have raised more resources than any other Senate effort in history,” SLF Executive Director Alex Latcham said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

NRCC REPORTING RECORD $47.1 MILLION QUARTER, RECORD $28.1 MILLION RAISED IN MARCH

“However, we cannot slow down as Chuck Schumer and Radical Democrats seek to take our nation back to open borders, rampant crime and crushing inflation.”

It’s those elements the group hopes to put front and center.

In many of their materials, SLF looks to pin Democrats over their opposition to many pieces of President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda and past support for far-left policies.

Across races in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Michigan and North Carolina, they are using ad campaigns to highlight elements like violence caused by soft-on-crime policies, opposition to wage hikes for veterans and past scandals that have followed some of the Democratic candidates.

HOW DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP SANK $40 MILLION MEANT TO DEFEND KEY SEATS ON A GAMBLE THAT BACKFIRED

“Logan was a casualty of an agenda,” one featured interviewee said, recounting how his daughter had been killed by Alexander Dickey, a repeat criminal who had faced nearly 40 criminal charges.

In another ad, SLF reminded voters in Iowa how Josh Turek, a Senate hopeful who had won gold for the U.S. in the Paralympic Games, had missed over 50% of his votes while running his campaign.

“We expect our lawmakers to show up, yet liberal politician Josh Turek missed 58% of his votes in the Iowa legislature — votes to help veterans and fund schools, yet still collected his full taxpayer-funded paycheck,” the ad states.

DEM SENATE HOPEFUL RIPPED AS ‘ABSENTEE LEGISLATOR’ AFTER MISSING NEARLY 60% OF VOTES

Latcham said he anticipates SLF’s layered strategy of messaging — and the resources needed to bring that message to voters — combined with the GOP’s candidate strengths will deliver wins in November.

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“With incredible candidates, a winning message and record funding, we are confident that Senate Republicans will maintain their majority this November and continue to deliver for the American people,” Latcham said.

The U.S. military conducted a deadly attack against a vessel on Sunday, killing two people that it described as “narco-terrorists.”

Video footage shows the explosive strike on the low-profile vessel.

“On August 23, under the commander of U.S. Southern Command, Gen. Francis L. Donovan’s direction, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere executed a lethal kinetic strike on a low-profile vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific,” an Aug. 24 news release stated.

DEM SENATOR ACCUSES PENTAGON OF MURDER WITH BOAT STRIKES TARGETING DRUG TRAFFICKERS

“Confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel’s active involvement in narco-trafficking. The operation killed two narco-terrorists,” the release noted.

The military has executed dozens of strikes against alleged drug trafficking vessels during President Donald Trump’s second term in office, a policy that has been controversial.

US MILITARY CONDUCTS STRIKE ON ANOTHER VESSEL CARRYING ALLEGED NARCO-TRAFFICKERS, KILLING 2

The last time U.S. Southern Command announced such a strike was just over two months ago on June 21 — that strike killed two, but there were six survivors.

“When I ordered the establishment of Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere, it was precisely for this purpose: to accelerate, synchronize, and execute lethal actions against these destabilizing narco-terrorist networks,” Donovan said, according to the Monday announcement about the strike carried out on Sunday. “We are committed to imposing total systemic friction on narco-terrorists — disrupting their operations, dismantling their leadership, and eliminating cartel terror across the region.”

HORMUZ CRISIS HIDES A DEEPER OIL THREAT THAT COULD OUTLAST THE WAR

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“Let me be clear, we will not permit narco-terrorists to operate with impunity in the Western Hemisphere, nor will we allow their deadly poison to reach American communities. This operation is a powerful demonstration of our lethal precision, overwhelming capability, and absolute resolve to protect the U.S. homeland,” he said.

A far-left candidate running for the House of Representatives in Michigan was arrested for resisting police during a 2013 protest.

William Lawrence, co-founder of the progressive Sunrise Movement, is challenging Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., in one of the most closely-watched elections in the country. With so few congressional seats still expected to be up in the air, a victory there could be decisive for whichever party wins control in November.

Fox News Digital obtained documents that show Lawrence was among a group of people arrested in 2013 during a demonstration against the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline, a 645-mile piece of infrastructure running crude oil and natural gas between Wisconsin and Ontario — with Michigan in between.

SUNRISE MOVEMENT CO-FOUNDER DEFEATS ESTABLISHMENT-BACKED DEMS IN PIVOTAL MICHIGAN RACE

He and others chained themselves to machinery in protest of the pipeline, which helps the U.S. meet critical energy needs but has also been a subject of pushback by environmental groups and indigenous tribes whose land the pipeline partially runs through.

The defendants were charged with trespassing, as well as resisting and obstructing a police officer. The documents stated that Lawrence and three others had to be cut off of the equipment but were then arrested without incident.

DSA CANDIDATE PUSHES FEDERAL AI DATA CENTER MORATORIUM WITH MICHIGAN EARLY VOTING UNDERWAY

Lawrence himself previously posted on X, “Defund the Police!” in May 2020. A tweet the following month called to defund the Lansing, Michigan police, specifically.

Fox News Digital reached out to his campaign about the arrest and his statements on police funding.

He’s since addressed the arrest himself on Instagram, however. He said in a video earlier this year that he “took a stand” against energy company Enbridge, adding, “Was it righteous? Absolutely. Was it wise? Perhaps not.”

“The fact is, they were back operating that afternoon, while my collaborators and I faced legal consequences for years,” he said. “I wouldn’t advise you do what I did, but my conviction remains, and you can always count on me to fight for pure Michigan and our water.”

DEMOCRATIC GROUP LAUNCHES $15M WAR ON DSA AFTER SOCIALIST PRIMARY WINS: ‘MORTAL DANGER’

While Lawrence was backed by progressive groups in his primary election, he has since said he’s left the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) as his general race begins to heat up.

But it did not stop House Republicans’ campaign arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), from tying him to the far-left.

“Socialist felon William Lawrence is a radical far-left liberal who puts his extreme climate agenda ahead of common sense and the priorities of hardworking Michiganders. Lawrence’s extreme agenda makes one thing clear: he is far too radical for Mid-Michigan and can’t be trusted to put Michigan families first,” NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon said.

Republicans are facing an uphill battle to keep control of the House this year, with the party in power traditionally facing significant losses during the midterms. But the far-left insurgency that’s gripped the Democratic Party has given the right new hope that they could buck historic political trends.

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Lawrence’s upstart primary campaign saw him defeat establishment-backed candidates Matt Maasdam and Bridget Brink, the latter of whom formerly served as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.

WASHINGTON, N.J. — Washington, D.C. is undoubtedly the center of gravity in American politics, but another Washington over 100 miles away could help decide the fate of Congress for the latter half of President Donald Trump’s term.

It’s a small town in New Jersey where Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., urged GOP supporters to help get Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., re-elected to the House in November. Kean is seeking a third term representing the Garden State’s 7th Congressional District, which is notably home to Trump’s Bedminster golf course where he spends a significant amount of time.

“We consider this a top three race, not just a top ten. That’s how important it is to us. It has a target on its back,” Johnson told the room at Hawke Point Golf Club, Fox News Digital heard. “They’re investing tons of money to try to take [Kean] down, but they are not going to be successful.”

The district happens to be one of the most critical battlegrounds in the country this year. Trump narrowly won the area by two points in 2024, though it flipped for Democrat Gov. Mikie Sherrill by the same margin in 2025.

HOW ONE NYC SUBURB COULD DECIDE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE HOUSE

Democrats are now betting they have a real opportunity to score another victory in November by sending former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett to the House. And with such a small number of House seats still considered politically neutral, it could prove decisive for which party controls the House next year.

DEMS PICK CHALLENGER FOR GOP CONGRESSMAN WHO VANISHED FROM PUBLIC VIEW AMID HEALTH MYSTERY

If Republicans win, that means enacting Trump’s agenda for another two years. Johnson told Fox News Digital the GOP has “aggressive” plans to tackle government waste and excessive spending. But if Democrats win the district — and potentially the House — Trump’s goals could grind to a halt.

Kean, for his part, told Fox News Digital that he’s confident he can win again.

“I’ve been a really effective legislator who’s brought things back to the district, who’s listened to my constituents on their needs and their concerns, in contrast to my opponent, who has really been a very abject partisan,” Kean said on the sidelines of his event. 

“She’s actually stopped going to church because there are Republicans [there]. So when you think about that contrast — a person can’t even go to religious services with people of the other party — she’ll never work across the aisle. She’ll be always in the far-left corner of whoever is in her caucus and whoever is in her leadership. And that’s not what this district needs.”

ANTI-SOCIALISM PUSH CAN FLIP BATTLEGROUNDS, REPUBLICAN LEADER BETS AS PARTY FIGHTS TO HOLD HOUSE

Bennett spokesperson Carly Jones hit back at Kean’s accusation, “Rebecca is an active member of her local church and talks openly on the campaign trail about her faith, which inspired her to serve her country in uniform and run for office. She is proudly building a coalition of Democrats, Independents and Republicans to flip this seat in November.”

Kean noted he’s seen legislative success under both the Biden and Trump administrations, and his bipartisan efforts were on display — by what was not on display. The congressman’s name appeared throughout the event, but without mention of “GOP” or “Republican.” A sign outside the door only said “Tom Kean for Congress.”

Conventional wisdom dictates that the party in power faces significant losses in Congress during the midterms. Critics of whoever is president generally turn out in droves to vote for the other side, in this case, Democrats.

Kean noted that he’s had legislation signed into law by former President Joe Biden, but also insisted he backed Trump “fully.”

SOCIALIST VICTORIES SHOW DEMS’ DESCENT DOWN ‘DEADLY PATH OF COMMUNISM,’ JOHNSON WARNS

“He’s done great things for this country and will continue to do great things for this country. He has been a very effective leader,” Kean said of the current president.

And Johnson deployed a pinch-hitter to help gin up enthusiasm on Friday: All-Star professional baseball player Mark Teixeira, who posed for photos with excited attendees. Teixeira is running his own campaign for Congress and is likely to win a safe red seat in Texas.

Republican leaders are also seizing on the far-left insurgency that’s toppled establishment Democrats in recent months as evidence that they should not get control of the House.

“It’s very effective because people see what’s happening. This isn’t campaign rhetoric. They give us new illustrations every day,” Johnson told Fox News Digital in an interview. “It’s a challenge to the very foundational principles of America, and that is increasingly what the Democrat Party represents…The Marxist-communist element is taking over that party, sadly, and it’s really alarming for our country.”

Kean was notably absent from the campaign trail and the halls of Congress from March through June this year, with few knowing the circumstances until the congressman publicly admitted he was being treated for depression. Upon his return, he introduced legislation aimed at making it easier for people to pay for mental healthcare.

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Bennett did not criticize the reason for his absence but has previously accused him of continuing to trade stocks during that time. She similarly told Fox News Digital in a written statement that Kean made millions from the stock market.

“I spent 15 years serving our country in the military, and I felt called to serve once again because I can’t sit on the sidelines while Washington corruption, rising costs, and devastating healthcare cuts crush New Jersey families. Congressman Tom Kean Jr. has failed to show up for our community while trading more than $3 million worth of stocks during his time in office,” she told Fox News Digital.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on Sunday said the federal government is committed to “cracking down” on sexual misconduct involving teachers, staff and other adults in positions of authority in schools across the country.

In an interview, McMahon denounced what she described as school districts reassigning, rather than firing, teachers accused of misconduct involving students.

“And it’s not part of their record or anything, so we have really been cracking down on that as well,” she said during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

McMahon, citing a 2004 Education Department literature review, said about one in 10 eighth- through 11th-grade students reported sexual misconduct by an educator. The review used a broad definition that included physical, verbal and visual conduct; the department cautioned that sexual misconduct should not be equated with the narrower legal definition of sexual abuse.

TRUMP EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PROBES SCHOOL AFTER TEACHER ALLEGEDLY REQUIRED SAME-SEX STUDENTS TO KISS

California officials at the state’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing did not revoke the licenses of at least 67 educators after school districts determined they committed sexual misconduct against students from 2019 through 2025, according to ProPublica and KQED.

At least 14 of those educators were later hired by other school districts and at least 12 of those were still working in education as of May, according to the reports.

Separately, the Department of Education in May opened a Title IX investigation into the Los Angeles Unified School District.

“Our schools must protect America’s children. Parents should never have to wonder whether their kids’ school employs and protects sexual predators,” McMahon said in a previous statement. “Schools that receive federal funding have a duty to protect students, report sexual misconduct honestly, and follow the law.”

The department said it was investigating an agreement with the United Teachers of Los Angeles that it said appeared to require teachers credibly accused of certain misconduct to be reassigned, rather than terminated or immediately removed from student-facing roles, while officials investigated allegations they engaged in conduct including having a sexual or romantic relationship with a student, creating child pornography or failing to report suspected child abuse.

LAUSD and UTLA disputed the department’s characterization, saying reassignment means an employee is sent home and kept away from students while an investigation proceeds, not transferred to another classroom or school. They said termination remains possible when allegations are substantiated.

COLORADO TEACHER FIRED AFTER STUDENTS ALLEGEDLY PRESSURED TO KISS CLASSMATES IN SKITS

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McMahon said in the letter that schools that fail to comply with federal requirements under Title IX and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act risk enforcement action, including the potential termination of applicable federal assistance, pledging a nationwide effort to “crack down” on sexual misconduct by adults in positions of authority.

“Make no mistake, the Department will fully enforce federal law and employ every resource at its disposal to protect children from sexual predators,” she wrote at the time. “Those schools that allow sexual misconduct to occur risk the termination of applicable federal assistance provided by the federal government.”

“This epidemic of nationwide sexual abuse in our schools must end,” McMahon added.

The internet is ablaze after controversial socialist Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan invoked second lady Usha Vance in taking a dig at Vice President JD Vance, leading some top voices to question how he would treat female staff should he win in November.

“El Sayed is now attacking Wives [sic] of US leaders? What a guy,” said former Florida state Rep. Ben Graber on X.

El-Sayed, running against Republican former Congressman Mike Rogers, launched the attack on Saturday after Vance slammed him for his stated adherence to Sharia law during a rally in Ohio, suggesting the practice would be completely alien to his grandfather, whom he calls his “Papaw.”

VANCE UNLOADS ON EL-SAYED OVER SHARIA REMARKS: ‘THAT’S NOT MY GRANDPA’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY’

“So do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no…” El-Sayed said, seemingly in reference to the second lady’s Indian ethnicity.

El-Sayed’s campaign did not return a comment request from Fox News Digital asking him to explain exactly what he was implying.

SWING-STATE DEM CANDIDATE’S ‘DISGUSTING’ COMMENTS ABOUT JD, USHA VANCE’S ‘BROWN CHILDREN’ SPARKS OUTRAGE

“Why does Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed just assume that all White midwestern grandparents are racist?” asked Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, in response to the post.

“If you’re a rural White American living in Michigan, just remember El-Sayed believes you’re a racist,” said commentator Ryan Girdusky.

MICHIGAN DEMOCRAT ACCUSES ABDUL EL-SAYED OF ‘DEEPLY SEXIST ATTACKS’ ON FEMALE POLITICAL RIVALS

“This is why there were ads in the primary correctly highlighting how sexist and misogynistic Abdul is,” said an X account run by Democrats supporting El-Sayed’s opponent Mike Rogers. “He has so much contempt for women. If you’re over the politics of division. Reject Abdul El-Sayed.”

Others accused El-Sayed of being racist himself.

WHITE HOUSE TEARS INTO OSSOFF WITH BRUTAL TAKEDOWN AFTER JAB AT KEY TRUMP AIDE: ‘LIGHTWEIGHT LOSER’

“You are a racist creep,” said journalist Emily Schrader in response to El-Sayed’s post.

Earlier in the day, El-Sayed also made a post directed toward Natalie Harp, an aide to President Donald Trump. Far-left media and Democrats online have spent the past two weeks implying that Harp and Trump have an improper relationship.

“Natalie, I think he’s had a little too much iPad for the week. He needs his rest,” El-Sayed said in response to Trump blasting him at a rally for campaigning with far-left socialist Hasan Piker, who has said that “America deserved 9/11.”

EL-SAYED DARES GOP RIVAL TO NO-PADS FOOTBALL SHOWDOWN AS SENATE FEUD TURNS PERSONAL

“This is what I’m talking about,” said GOP strategist Matt Whitlock, posting screenshots of the posts directed at Harp and Usha Vance. “Just a bad campaign, bad candidate, bad instincts. Sitting at home on a Saturday morning tweeting bad takes that any normal campaign would shut down.”

“He goes after Usha. He goes after Natalie [Harp]. This coward picks on women who are not in his fight. Imagine how he would treat female staffers in the halls of Congress,” said Tudor Dixon, a Republican former gubernatorial candidate in Michigan.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the vice president’s office and a representative for Usha Vance, but did not immediately hear back.