NationalWatch

United States Customs and Border Protection now has boats along the Chicago River amid Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s “Operation Midway Blitz” in the region.

“Operation Midway Blitz” started last month in the Chicago area despite opposition from local Democratic leaders. The operation has yielded over 500 arrests, including those with serious past convictions and criminal charges.

“Lakes and rivers are borders too. … Wherever the border’s at, that’s where Border Patrol is gonna be,” CBP Commander Gregory Bovino told Fox News Channel. Chicago is only a few hundred miles from Canada, and the river connects to the Great Lakes, specifically Lake Michigan.

DHS ‘BLITZES’ CHICAGOLAND, NETTING ‘MANY ARRESTS’ AS NOEM ONSITE FOR IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN

“Where streets end, our Marine Unit begins. On the Chicago River, CBP leadership stays vigilant. Our ability to patrol on the water extends the reach of enforcement,” USBP Chief Michael Banks posted to X on Thursday.

CBP Air and Marine Operations Executive Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Miller posted to X on Thursday a video from one of the boats, writing that “Operation Midway Blitz here in Chicago is as vital as anywhere else in the country! We will not back down.”

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Democrats continue to rail against the federal immigration surge in Chicago, including Rep. Chuy Garcia, D-Illinois, who said in a recent post that President Donald Trump “has terrorized immigrant communities” for the past eight months as mass deportations continue nationwide.

ICE AGENTS BREAK CAR WINDOW TO ARREST RESISTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT IN EXCLUSIVE FOX NEWS RIDE-ALONG

Trump has wanted to take things a step further and deploy National Guard troops to Chicago in hopes of quelling crime. 

However, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker recently told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” the policy would “impose his authoritarian rule on big cities across the United States” as he continues to decline cooperation with the federal government on the matter. 

Meanwhile, Trump said the next city on the list for National Guard deployment is Memphis, Tennessee.  

CHICAGO CRIME, NATIONAL GUARD PUSH MOVE TO FOREFRONT OF TRUMP’S WEEK

Washington, D.C., the first city where the National Guard strategy was tried, continues to have a strong troop and federal law enforcement presence, which has won some praise from Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser because of the drop in crime despite initial criticism about the policy.

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“We’re going to clean up our cities. We’re going to clean them up so they don’t kill five people every weekend,” the president said earlier this month. “That’s not war. That’s common sense.”

The White House is laying the groundwork for mass layoffs within the federal government in the event of a government shutdown Wednesday. 

The White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo to federal agencies late Thursday ordering them to draw up preparations for a reduction-in-force if there is a lapse in appropriations — and put the onus on Democrats if a stopgap spending measure fails to pass in Congress to keep the government open. 

While federal employees typically are furloughed during government shutdowns, the Trump administration’s plans would permanently scale back the size of the federal workforce if a government shutdown occurs. 

SCHUMER, DEMOCRATS FACE HEAT FOR SHIFTING STANCE ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THREAT

As a result, OMB instructed agencies to consider reduction-in-force (RIF) notices for those in programs and projects that will have a lapse in discretionary funding Wednesday and another source of funding is not accessible. 

“Programs that did not benefit from an infusion of mandatory appropriations will bear the brunt of a shutdown, and we must continue our planning efforts in the event Democrats decide to shut down the government,” the memo obtained by Fox News Digital said. 

WHITE HOUSE TELLS FEDERAL AGENCIES TO PREPARE LAYOFF PLANS AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN LOOMS

“Once fiscal year 2026 appropriations are enacted, agencies should revise their RIFs as needed to retain the minimal number of employees necessary to carry out statutory functions,” the memo said. “Any proposed RIF plan must be submitted to OMB.” 

Social Security, Medicare, veterans benefits, military operations, law enforcement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and air traffic control programs will not be affected in the event of a lapse in funding. 

Historically, agencies have crafted their own contingency plans in the event of a shutdown, detailing which employees are still required to work and will remain on duty should funding expire. However, these plans have not been disclosed yet on OMB’s website. 

Politico first reported on the directive from OMB. 

GARBAGE COLLECTION, TOURS TO BE SUSPENDED ON CAPITOL HILL IF THERE’S A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Meanwhile, the administration has placed blame on Democrats if a government shutdown occurs once funding expires Tuesday, and made clear these layoffs won’t be necessary if a funding measure is passed. The House passed a continuing resolution (CR) Sept. 19 that would keep the government open until Nov. 21, but the Senate Democrats refused to get behind the measure, and it failed by a 44–48 margin. 

Instead, Senate Democrats pushed their own proposal that included a series of provisions, including permanently extending Affordable Care Act subsidies. But that proposal also failed by a 47–45 margin. 

Democrats have remained opposed to the GOP-led extension that the House passed because it fails to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies. 

But OMB said it hopes Democrats get on board. 

“We remain hopeful that Democrats in Congress will not trigger a shutdown and the steps outlined above will not be necessary,” the OMB memo said. “The President supports enactment of a clean CR to ensure no discretionary spending lapse after September 30, 2025, and OMB hopes the Democrats will agree.” 

Meanwhile, Democrats have pushed back on OMB’s orders, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., accused OMB Director Russ Vought of being a “malignant political hack.” 

“We will not be intimidated by your threat to engage in mass firings,” Jeffries said in a Wednesday X post in response to reports about the reduction-in-force plans. “Get lost.” 

Fox News’ Alex Miller and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Two immigrants granted legal U.S. status under the Biden administration are being charged with shooting up a children’s baseball game in the Houston area, according to a DHS statement.

The two immigrants, Mustafa Mohammad Matalgah, a 27-year-old from Jordan, and Ahmad Mawed, a 21-year-old from Lebanon, are facing felony charges of deadly conduct with a firearm after allegedly firing in the direction of a baseball field during a prayer at a youth game in Katy, Texas, on Sunday. They are being held on $100,000 bond. 

One coach was hit in the shoulder, reportedly attempting to shield a child. He was hospitalized due to the injury, but has since been released.

According to a statement by the Department of Homeland Security, both immigrants were allowed into the country during the Biden administration.

SUSPECT IN ANTI-ICE TEXAS SHOOTING GRANTED GREEN CARD UNDER BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

Matalgah was granted U.S. citizenship by the Biden administration Aug.1, 2023, according to the agency. The statement said Matalgah was granted citizenship despite prior arrests for drug possession.

Meanwhile, Mawed was given lawful permanent resident status by the Biden administration through an IR-2 visa on June 3, 2021, according to DHS. An IR-2 visa is given to the children of U.S. citizens.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin slammed the Biden administration after the shooting for “not vetting” the immigrants let into the country, especially from high-threat nations.

“Not only did Biden fail the American people by leaving our borders wide open to criminals, but he also legally allowed them to gain status and citizenship to terrorize our communities,” said McLaughlin. “These individuals from high-threat counties were let in by the Biden administration. They clearly were not vetting the aliens they were letting legally enter our country and even become U.S. citizens.

EXCLUSIVE: IMMIGRATION AGENT REVEALS ‘BIGGEST FEAR’ AFTER DEADLY ANTI-ICE SHOOTING

“This horrific act of terror, the firing on children praying before the start of a baseball game, is pure evil,” she added.

The chaos unfolded at Ameripark youth baseball field, known as The Rac, after three people fired weapons from a nearby pasture in the direction of the field as a youth baseball event was ongoing, according to the Waller County Sheriff’s Office.

Video of the incident showed the 12-year-old Texas Colts players in light blue jerseys running frantically for cover as bullets flew past them. One adult appeared to be struck and fell to the ground near home plate.

Houston Warriors founder Andy Baize told KHOU-TV that after the coach, a 27-year-old man, was shot during a pregame prayer with his team, the wounded man’s first reaction was to protect the children. The sheriff’s office said the victim was transported to Memorial Herman Hospital in downtown Houston, where he was treated and later released.

A statement by The Rac said the incident was due to “recreational shooting on a nearby property.” The statement said that local police were immediately notified of “possible illegal hunting.” 

A third suspect, Mahmood Abdelsalam Rababah, 23, is also being charged in the shooting.

DALLAS MAYOR WARNS RISING POLITICAL VIOLENCE COULD MEAN ICE FACILITY ATTACK ‘WON’T BE THE LAST’

Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. State Department has expanded screening and vetting for visa applicants. In a June statement, the State Department said that “every visa adjudication is a national security decision.”

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The department said, “The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.”

Fox News Digital reached out to a spokesperson for former President Joe Biden but did not immediately receive a response.

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

The Trump administration announced late Friday it is revoking the U.S. visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro over alleged “reckless and incendiary actions” in New York City. 

“Earlier today, Colombian president @petrogustavo stood on a NYC street and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence,” read a post on the U.S. State Department’s X account. “We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Colombian embassy but did not hear back before publication. 

TRUMP UNLEASHES US MILITARY POWER ON CARTELS. IS A WIDER WAR LOOMING?

The visa revocation comes on the heels of the annual meeting of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City this week. 

Videos circulating online show the Colombian president addressing a crowd gathered at a demonstration against Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who was in New York City Friday to address the assembly. 

TRUMP SAYS ‘WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS’ WHEN ASKED ABOUT POSSIBILITY OF STRIKING VENEZUELA AMID RISING TENSIONS

In a fiery speech earlier this week, Petro called for a criminal investigation against President Donald Trump and other administration officials over deadly strikes on boats in the Caribbean that the White House said were carrying drugs. 

Petro repudiated the attacks, calling them an “act of tyranny,” while also accusing Trump of criminalizing poverty and migration.

“Criminal proceedings must be opened against those officials, who are from the U.S., even if it includes the highest-ranking official who gave the order: President Trump,” Petro said of the strikes, adding that boat passengers were not members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang as the Trump administration claimed after the first attack.

VENEZUELAN MILITARY JETS BUZZ US NAVY SHIP IN ‘HIGHLY PROVOCATIVE’ MOVE, PENTAGON SAYS

If the boats were carrying drugs as alleged by the U.S. government, Petro said, their passengers “were not drug traffickers; they were simply poor young people from Latin America who had no other option.”

Petro, a former Marxist guerrilla and Colombia’s first leftist leader, has had a rocky relationship with Trump since the inauguration.

In January, Trump threatened to impose 50% tariffs on all imports from the Latin American country if it did not accept military planes full of deported Colombians as part of Trump’s deportation sweep. Petro threatened to retaliate with counter tariffs but later relented and agreed to lift his ban on the flights. 

In April, Petro claimed that the Trump administration had revoked his travel visa to the U.S. During a cabinet meeting that month, Petro said he could not attend meetings with international organizations in Washington, D.C., because “they took away my visa.” 

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“I didn’t need to have one, but anyway, I’ve already seen Donald Duck several times, so I’ll go see other things,” Petro said. 

Fox News Digital’s Caitlin McFall, Anders Hagstrom and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday extended an earlier order that allows the Trump administration to continue blocking nearly $5 billion in congressionally appropriated foreign funds. 

The U.S. Department of Justice had reached out to the high court for an emergency appeal after a district court judge ruled the administration’s decision to hold the aid was likely illegal, adding that Congress would need to approve the withholding of funds. 

“This case raises questions of immense legal and practical importance, including whether there is any avenue to test the executive branch’s decision not to spend congressionally appropriated funds,” District Judge Amir Ali said at the time. 

Friday’s ruling was 6 to 3, with the three liberal justices dissenting. 

TRUMP CANCELS $4.9B FOREIGN AID, PUSHES DC DEATH PENALTY, TOUTS KIM TIES

President Donald Trump last month sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, explaining he was using a pocket rescission, which allows a president to submit a request to Congress to hold approved funds near the end of the fiscal year. 

Under federal law, Congress has to approve the rescission within 45 days or the money must be spent. But the budget year will end before the 45-day window closes, and, in this situation, the White House is asserting that congressional inaction allows it not to spend the money.

It was the first use of a pocket rescission in 50 years. 

Friday’s ruling extends a temporary block put on the lower court ruling by Chief Justice John Roberts on Sept. 9. 

The conservative justices in the majority Friday said that Trump’s authority on foreign policy weighed in the decision but cautioned that it wasn’t a final ruling on the matter. 

WHITE HOUSE MOVE TO CANCEL $4.9B FOREIGN AID WITH ‘POCKET RESCISSION’ BLASTED AS ILLEGAL

Reductions in foreign aid have become a hallmark of the Trump administration’s America First agenda. 

In her dissenting opinion, Justice Elena Kagan, joined by justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, said, “The effect is to prevent the funds from reaching their intended recipients — not just now but (because of their impending expiration) for all time.” 

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The administration called the funds, which would have been used as foreign aid, for United Nations peacekeeping efforts and to promote democracy in other countries, “contrary to U.S. foreign policy.” 

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

A massive cheating scandal that rocked the U.S. Naval Academy in 1994 and involved New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill also involved her husband, Jason Hedberg, according to reporting by the New York Post.

This follows the improper release of bombshell private military records by the National Archives and Records Administration, which revealed that Sherrill was not allowed to walk with her graduating class at the Naval Academy and that her name was not included in the commencement program due to her involvement in the scandal.

Sherrill, a congresswoman representing New Jersey, has not been accused of cheating at the Naval Academy but rather of failing to report those who had cheated on an exam.

The Post reported that Hedberg was also caught up in the scandal. The outlet said Hedberg was one of nearly 50 midshipmen who sued the Naval Academy, the Navy and the Pentagon to block an honor board at the school from deciding whether they should be dismissed.

NJ GOVERNOR’S RACE ESCALATES AS GOP CONTENDER THREATENS LEGAL ACTION AMID DEM LEAK CLAIMS

The suit alleged that each named plaintiff was denied due process by the academy and ordered by their superiors to make incriminating statements, according to the outlet.

The complaint stated that “in compliance with the orders of their superior military officers, each named plaintiff was compelled to make inculpatory statements to Navy Inspector General investigators.”

While Sherrill did not walk in her commencement ceremony, Hedberg’s name is included in the 1994 commencement program, indicating he was cleared to take part in the ceremony, which took place three months after the suit was filed.

Sherrill is locked in a tight race against Republican Jack Ciattarelli to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.

Sean Higgins, a spokesperson for Sherrill’s campaign, responded to the development by telling Fox News Digital that “the fact Jack Ciattarelli and MAGA Republicans are going after Mikie’s family is sick and desperate.

“Jason graduated, served honorably as a Naval Officer and the illegal disclosure of Mikie’s unredacted personal military records, including her Social Security number and the unlawful dissemination of those records by the Ciattarelli campaign is a disgrace and must be investigated.” 

While investigating Sherrill’s suspected involvement in the 1994 cheating scandal, Ciattarelli’s campaign also submitted its own FOIA request, which confirmed her name was not on the U.S. Naval Academy graduation program that year. 

The revelations have rocked the already tight race in blue-leaning New Jersey.

CIATTARELLI DEMANDS SHERRILL ‘COME CLEAN’ AFTER NAVAL ACADEMY CHEATING SCANDAL RESURFACES

The Ciattarelli campaign said Nicholas De Gregorio, a friend who is not directly involved in the campaign, “submitted a lawful FOIA request” about Sherrill’s military background of his own accord. 

A spokesperson for the National Archives and Records Administration stated that the technician who responded to De Gregorio’s request about Sherrill’s military record “should NOT have released the entire record,” which included private information such as her Social Security number.

The National Archives apologized for the breach of privacy and has committed to holding its staff accountable for the blunder. 

In response, Sherrill has accused Ciattarelli of illegally obtaining the records.

“To have a guy I’m running against, it will stop at nothing, it will stop at nothing, who will illegally obtain records. It’s just beyond the pale,” Sherrill charged Thursday night on the campaign trail in Plainfield, New Jersey.

REPUBLICAN AIMING TO FLIP BLUE STATE RIPS DEM RIVAL FOR BLAMING ‘EVERYTHING ON TRUMP’

“I didn’t turn in some of my classmates, so I didn’t walk but graduated and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy, serving for nearly ten years with the highest level of distinction and honor,” Sherrill told the Globe when confronted with the commencement program. She defended not releasing any disciplinary records from her time at the academy. 

Sherrill has also accused the Trump administration of colluding with Ciattarelli’s campaign.

“This is an illegal and dangerous weaponization of the federal government,” Sherrill said in a statement Thursday as she criticized Ciattarelli and the Trump administration for “breaking the law and exposing private records for political gain.”

On Thursday, Higgins accused the Trump administration of “targeting political opponents with an absolute disregard for the law, this time in concert with the Ciattarelli campaign.”

NEW JERSEY DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR FACES NET WORTH QUESTIONS AS VIRAL CLIP RESURFACES

For his part, Ciattarelli is calling on Sherrill to release her records to prove why she was blocked from attending her graduation ceremony.

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In a letter sent to Sherrill’s lawyers, a lawyer representing the Ciattarelli campaign said that any claim that Ciattarelli for Governor (CFG) was “part of a conspiracy to smear [Sherrill] with ill-gotten documents is completely false. In fact, it is defamatory and if [Sherrill] and her campaign continue to push this false narrative and allege that CFG and/or [campaign strategist Chris] Russell acted illegally, we will pursue defamation claims.”

Sherrill’s campaign did not immediately provide a response to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on her husband’s involvement in the scandal.

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

The Trump administration on Friday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship, a move that could redefine what has become known as a bedrock constitutional guarantee. 

The request comes as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and allied groups filed a class action in federal court in New Hampshire, escalating a legal clash that reaches back to the Reconstruction era. 

At stake is whether the U.S. will continue to recognize nearly all children born on its soil as citizens, a principle the Supreme Court decided in “United States v. Wong Kim Ark” (1898).

The outcome could reshape the 14th Amendment‘s Citizenship Clause, which has long been understood to guarantee citizenship to virtually every child born on U.S. soil regardless of parents’ status.

FEDERAL APPEALS COURT WEIGHS TRUMP BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER AS ADMIN OUTLINES ENFORCEMENT DETAILS

Trump’s order seeks to narrow that interpretation to children of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. If upheld, it could deny automatic citizenship to many children born in the U.S. each year.

In “Wong Kim Ark,” the Court ruled that a San Francisco-born man whose Chinese parents were barred from naturalization was nonetheless an American citizen under the 14th Amendment. That decision cemented “jus soli,” or citizenship by birth on American soil, with narrow exceptions for children of diplomats, foreign occupiers and sovereign tribal nations.

Critics of the executive order argue that the text and history are clear. UC Berkeley law professor John Yoo has written that the Framers borrowed British “jus soli” traditions and that Reconstruction lawmakers expanded citizenship to ensure formerly enslaved people and their descendants were fully included.

TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP BLOCKED BY ANOTHER FEDERAL APPEALS JUDGE IN LATEST RULING

“It is simply beyond doubt that the Framers operated by borrowing and adopting common law principles … to adopt an interpretation that rejects that meaning, we would want to see historical evidence that the Framers had adopted a radically new interpretation,” Yoo wrote.

Supporters of the order counter that the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” requires full and lawful political allegiance, not simply being born on U.S. soil. John Eastman, who advised on drafting the policy, has argued that the Constitution requires both birth on U.S. soil and “complete” jurisdiction. “Complete” means allegiance to the U.S., not to another sovereign. 

The order has already faced multiple challenges. Federal courts initially blocked it with broad injunctions, though the Supreme Court later narrowed those rulings.

In a recent dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor suggested class actions could provide a way forward for challengers, writing that “parents of children covered by the Citizenship Order would be well advised to file promptly class action suits … and lower courts would be wise to act swiftly.” 

The ACLU’s new lawsuit in New Hampshire reflects that strategy. 

“Every court to have looked at this cruel order agrees that it is unconstitutional … we are fighting to make sure President Trump cannot trample on the citizenship rights of a single child,” said Cody Wofsy, an attorney with the ACLU.

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“This executive order directly opposes our Constitution, values, and history, and it would create a permanent, multigenerational subclass,” added Devon Chaffee, executive director of ACLU-NH.

Karla McKanders of the Legal Defense Fund called the order “an unlawful attempt to entrench racial hierarchies,” saying, “Citizenship is a right afforded to us by birth, not by privilege.”

Fox News Digital has requested comment from the White House and the ACLU and its partner organizations.

Vice President JD Vance fired back on social media on Friday after being tagged in a video that appeared to mock Trump supporters over their response to the 2023 Bud Light controversy.

The clip, which was posted to X, showed a man shooting Bud Light cans seemingly in protest of the brand’s 2023 partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. 

The user then took aim at Vance, telling him not to complain about “violent rhetoric from the left.”

VANCE PAUSES NORTH CAROLINA SPEECH FOR BOY WHO SAID HE ‘SKIPPED SCHOOL’ TO ASK FOR A SELFIE

“This is how MAGA responded after Bud Lite had the audacity to feature a trans influencer in their ads,” the X user said. “So spare us your b——- about violent rhetoric from the left, [JD Vance].”

Vance replied to the post, writing, “I call upon all of our supporters to stop the violence against innocent beer cans. And I call upon all left-wing radicals to stop inciting violence against innocent people.”

AFTER DALLAS ICE SHOOTING, VANCE SAYS THOSE WHO DENIGRATE LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN ‘GO STRAIGHT TO HELL’

Earlier in the week, Vance said those who denigrate law enforcement are encouraging “crazy people to go and commit violence” after a shooter opened fire at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility Wednesday in Dallas. 

“You don’t have to agree with my immigration policies. You don’t have to agree with Donald Trump’s immigration policies. But if your political rhetoric encourages violence against our law enforcement, you can go straight to hell,” Vance said Wednesday during a trip to North Carolina. “And you have no place in the political conversation of the United States of America.

JIMMY KIMMEL CALLS OUT JD VANCE FOR POINTING FINGER AT THE LEFT AFTER CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION

“If you want to stop political violence, stop attacking our law enforcement as the Gestapo. If you want to stop political violence, stop telling your supporters that everybody who disagrees with you is a Nazi. If you want to stop political violence, look in the mirror. That’s the way that we stop political violence in this country.” 

Vance has also blamed the death of Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated at Utah Valley University earlier this month, on “left-wing political radicalization.”

“They tried to silence our dear friend Charlie Kirk,” JD Vance said at Kirk’s memorial. “And, tonight, we speak with Charlie and for Charlie, louder than ever.”

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The Bud Light controversy in 2023 sparked massive backlash against both transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney and the beer brand. Mulvaney came under fire after posting a video in April 2023 revealing the beer company sent packs of Bud Light with the influencer’s face as part of a new ad campaign and to celebrate Mulvaney’s full year of transitioning to “girlhood.”

EXCLUSIVE: A Trump administration official was physically assaulted by a “deranged leftist” inside the United Nations Thursday afternoon during the gathering of the UN General Assembly, Fox News Digital has learned.

An official working in international relations for the Department of Health and Human Services was in New York City serving in a support role for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the department’s leadership team at UNGA.

“An HHS official was followed into a bathroom, recorded, physically assaulted and verbally accosted by a deranged leftist at the UN who somehow entered the venue past multiple layers of security,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital. “Thankfully, the official is safe, and the lunatic was arrested, but this is part of a disturbing and dangerous set of failures by the UN after their sabotage of President Trump ahead of and during his speech.”

TRUMP SLAMS UN FOR ‘CREATING NEW PROBLEMS,’ QUESTIONS ITS ROLE IN FIERY UNGA SPEECH

Kelly told Fox News Digital that the U.S. Secret Service will investigate “how this violent protester was admitted into a major national security event.”

“The UN must answer why these highly concerning incidents continue to happen against the president and his staff,” Kelly said.

“We are outraged that a member of the U.S. delegation was physically assaulted inside of UN Headquarters the afternoon of September 25,” a U.S. UN spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “This attack must be addressed swiftly, and consequences must be felt.”

The spokesperson told Fox News Digital that “the UN itself recognizes that it has lost its way.”

WALTZ TO ROOT OUT ANTISEMITISM, ELIMINATE ‘WOKE’ PROGRAMS, GET ‘BACK TO BASICS’ AT THE UNITED NATIONS

“Now, it has devolved into an arena where an American delegation member is harassed and assaulted,” the spokesperson said. “If you can’t keep people safe in your own building, how can you claim to be the world’s diplomatic center?”

The spokesperson called the incident “unacceptable,” and told Fox News Digital that the United Nations “will use every available resource to support the U.S. Secret Service into their investigation of this incident.”

“We know the UN needs dramatic reform and now must also immediately implement a thorough review of the UN’s security operations,” the spokesperson said. “The UN’s failures are evident worldwide, and now in its own halls.”

The U.S. UN spokesperson added: “Enough is enough.”

The official recounted her experience of being followed, harassed, and physically assaulted inside the United Nations in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

The official told Fox News Digital that she was walking down the hallway at the UN when a woman began berating her and shining a bright light in her face.

“It was very disorienting,” the official said. “Once I took a step back and regained my footing, it didn’t stop. I realized what was happening. I realized I was being yelled at and that the light was also a recording device.”

The official tried to get away from the woman who was screaming derogatory and pro-Palestinian comments at her as she followed closely behind.

OUSTED DIRECTOR SAYS AMERICA250 LEADERS ‘HATE TRUMP MORE THAN THEY LOVE AMERICA’ AFTER FIRING FOR KIRK POST

The official said the woman called her a “fascist” and a “Nazi.” 

“The insults changed to specific insults,” the official said, telling Fox News Digital that she went into the women’s bathroom to get away, but that the woman kept following her.

“Her yelling turned into screaming—hyper-aggressive insults,” the official said. 

The official tried to hide in a bathroom stall, but told Fox News Digital that the woman was pushing and trying to get into the stall. Once the official was able to close the door, the woman put the camera over the door of the bathroom stall to continue filming the official and screaming. 

The official waited for the screaming to stop, and exited the stall, hoping the woman had left, but the woman was waiting for her at the door, and continued to follow her into the hallway, continuing to yell at her and shine the light in her face. Eventually, the official was able to get away.

The official told Fox News Digital the incident lasted approximately 10 minutes.

“It felt very political in nature,” she said. “Secretary Kennedy gets a tremendous number of bows and arrows and threats that he deals with, but it seems that it’s not enough, and it is trickling down.”

She added: “That’s a scary thing for the team. But we’re more empowered, and we have amazing leadership.”

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Fox News Digital has learned that the woman was arrested by the New York City Police Department. It is unclear whether she is still in custody.

The NYPD did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

The United Nations did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

FIRST ON FOX: A major pro-life organization is calling on Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier to investigate a nonprofit it’s accused of running “deceptive and misleading” abortion pill ads across the state.

In a Sept. 19 letter obtained by Fox News Digital, 40 Days for Life urged Uthmeier to take action against Mayday Health, a New York-based nonprofit that has placed billboards around Florida promoting the abortion pills mifepristone and misoprostol.

“Those pictures are not [artificial intelligence],” Shawn Carney, president and CEO of 40 Days For Life, told Fox News Digital on Friday. “Those are actual pictures of boats floating in front of tourists — trying to get a tan, trying to enjoy their time off of work — and yet they’re having abortion pills shoved in their face. It’s out of touch, and it could be illegal.”

MORE THAN 20 GOP ATTORNEYS GENERAL CALL ON RFK JR, FDA TO REINSTATE SAFEGUARDS FOR ABORTION DRUGS

The pro-life group argues the ads fail to disclose critical information — including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) black box warnings about risks like hemorrhage and infection — while also omitting federally required safety protocols and potential legal consequences for Floridians.

“It shows once again how out of touch abortion advocates are in a post-Roe America where they have no sense of mission,” Carney said. “They cannot read the room at all, and now they can’t read the law.”

Carney and other members of 40 Days for Life have called on Florida’s top prosecutor to launch an investigation and possibly pursue prosecution. 

TEXAS MAN SUES CALIFORNIA DOCTOR IN UNPRECEDENTED ABORTION PILL CASE OVER UNBORN CHILD’S ALLEGED ‘MURDER’

“I think that they need to be investigated and possibly prosecuted because this definitely seems like a violation of Florida’s deceptive advertising law,” Carney told Fox News Digital.

Florida currently bans most abortions after six weeks, making it one of the strictest states in the nation. Carney said the grassroots structure of 40 Days for Life — which has more than 1 million participants across 1,800 cities globally — allows the group to spot local problems first.

“When things like this happen at the local level, we’re the first to see it,” Carney said. “… So when we see these new ad campaigns for abortion pills or whether we see doctors doing illegal abortions, we’re going to look into it and report it and take legal action.”

PRO-LIFE GROUP ‘ELATED’ AFTER PLANNED PARENTHOOD SHUTTERS HOUSTON FACILITIES: ‘TREMENDOUS VICTORY’

Carney also argued that the overturning of Roe v. Wade has forced abortion advocates to defend positions he described as extreme. 

“Gen Z has turned against abortion because they’re the first generation in our country to ever have a photo of their own ultrasound,” he said. “And that’s why they are the most pro-life generation ever at their age.”

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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and Mayday Health did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

President Donald Trump on Friday said he will declassify files related to Amelia Earhart, the aviation trailblazer who became the first woman to fly solo nonstop across the U.S. and who famously disappeared nearly 90 years ago.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said he’s been asked about Earhart and her final flight.

“Amelia made it almost three-quarters of the way around the world before she suddenly, and without notice, vanished—never to be seen again,” he wrote. “Her disappearance, almost 90 years ago, has captivated millions. I am ordering my Administration to declassify and release all government records related to Amelia Earhart, her final trip, and everything else about her.”

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: MILITARY WHISTLEBLOWERS TESTIFY TO CONGRESS ABOUT UNEXPLAINED UFO ENCOUNTERS

Researchers have long searched for answers about Earhart’s 1937 disappearance over the Pacific Ocean during her fateful attempt to fly around the globe. The disappearance has been the subject of many conspiracy theories.

In his post, Trump called her an “aviation pioneer, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and [someone who] achieved many other aviation ‘firsts’.”

In July, Kimberlyn King-Hinds, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’ delegate to the House of Representatives, wrote to Trump asking him to declassify documents related to Earhart.

7 DETAILS REVEALED IN NEWLY RELEASED MLK FILES

“In pursuing clarity for my constituents, I have become aware that the U.S. government may still hold documents or records related to Earhart’s journey and final whereabouts that have not yet been made public,” King-Hinds wrote. “Should such records exist, their release would contribute meaningfully to our understanding of one of America’s most revered aviators and could finally shed light on the final chapter of her remarkable life.”

“A national icon, Amelia Earhart embodied America’s courage, determination, and pioneering spirit,” she added. “Yet the mystery surrounding her final flight continues to generate debate and speculation nearly ninety years later.”

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Since taking office, Trump has declassified documents related to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr.

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening…

-Sinclair ends Jimmy Kimmel ban after sidelining host amid Charlie Kirk controversy

-Who is the Biden-appointed judge taking James Comey’s perjury case?

-Top gubernatorial race rocked by allegations of leaks and dirty tricks amid improper military records release

Kelly Loeffler: Mamdani’s socialist plans threaten NYC’s business core

EXCLUSIVE: As New York City considers the potential election of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler is warning that the city’s economic foundation is already under strain from inflation, high taxes and regulation. 

Loeffler told Fox News Digital that small business owners in New York City fear socialist policies could accelerate population loss and drive even more jobs and investment to red states.

She said New York City’s more than 100,000 small businesses employ nearly 1 million people, making them the powerful pulse of the city’s economic heartbeat.

“New York is the capital of capitalism and small businesses,” Loeffler said on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, where she addressed the economic downside of progressive politics…READ MORE.

White House

FEAR FACTOR: New poll reveals majority of voters believe U.S. is experiencing a political crisis after Kirk assassination

‘RECKLESS DISREGARD’: Trump admin cracks down on truckers’ licenses for foreign drivers after deadly Florida crash

‘HE GOT CAUGHT’: Trump answers whether Comey indictment is about justice or revenge

World Stage

REGIME REJECTED: Iranian president slams U.S. at UN, but protesters outside say regime ‘does not represent us’

LIVESTREAM DIPLOMACY: Netanyahu broadcasts United Nations message into Gaza accusing world leaders of appeasing ‘evil’

SEARCH IS OVER: Convicted cop killer Assata Shakur, an FBI Most Wanted terrorist, dead in Cuba, communist regime says

Capitol Hill

FLIP FLOP: Schumer, Democrats face heat for shifting stance on government shutdown threat

COP VS. SWAMP: Mark Warner faces GOP challenge from Airborne Ranger-turned-lawmaker Bryce Reeves

Across America 

UN-FAIRFAX: ‘Nonsense’: Earle-Sears blasts Fairfax transgender bathroom rules in fiery campaign stop

ANOTHER POL TARGETED: Top Virginia delegate latest victim of post-Kirk political violence after death-threat suspect arrested

CHAOS NEAR CHICAGO: Chicago anti-ICE protesters block vehicles, get hit with tear gas and pepper balls

CLASS DISMISSED: Oklahoma state superintendent Ryan Walters leaving for new job where he will wage war against teachers unions

‘TRULY DISTURBING’: Dallas ICE shooting triggers heightened security at facilities nationwide: ‘Truly disturbing’

Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

An appellate court is poised to decide a case that supporters and opponents of abortion access are closely watching because the decision could put Planned Parenthood, a prolific abortion vendor, on the hook for up to $1.8 billion.

A full panel of judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit heard oral arguments Thursday in the years-long case, which centers on Planned Parenthood’s use of Medicaid funds in Texas and Louisiana.

Jennie Bradley Lichter, president of March for Life, told Fox News Digital the “stakes couldn’t be higher” and that the lawsuit could bankrupt Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit with hundreds of clinics across the country.

FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM DEFUNDING SOME PLANNED PARENTHOOD FACILITIES

“Planned Parenthood is facing a repayment obligation of close to $2 billion because it continued to fill its coffers with taxpayers’ money even after two states had already disqualified it,” Lichter said. “If that obligation stands, it will strike a serious — even existential — blow to Planned Parenthood’s national operations and potentially change the abortion landscape in this country forever.”

The case comes after Texas and Louisiana stripped Planned Parenthood affiliates of their Medicaid qualifications in response to activist David Daleiden releasing video footage showing Planned Parenthood staff discussing selling aborted fetal tissue.

Daleiden faced a lawsuit and prosecution for illegally recording the staff, but his footage set off a firestorm in the pro-life movement and caused it to ramp up its efforts to weaken the nonprofit.

Planned Parenthood, however, sued Texas and Louisiana and initially won an injunction that allowed it to keep receiving the Medicaid reimbursements. But the decision was reversed on appeal years later.

SUPREME COURT RULES AGAINST PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN MEDICAID FUNDING DISPUTE

An anonymous litigant then brought a new lawsuit on behalf of the two states seeking to claw back the millions of dollars Planned Parenthood had collected while the injunction had been in place.

Court papers indicate that the potential money Planned Parenthood could now owe — reimbursement of the Medicaid dollars it collected plus various multipliers — could add up to $1.8 billion. The exact dollar amount would be determined by a jury in the lower court.

But Planned Parenthood and the anonymous litigant, named in court papers as “Alex Doe,” are now waiting to see where the conservative 5th Circuit will land.

The issue before the 5th Circuit’s en banc panel is about whether Planned Parenthood had immunity when it collected the four years’ worth of Medicaid dollars. Planned Parenthood has argued it has immunity because its counsel advised it to collect the payments during the injunction period.

Thursday’s oral arguments came after a three-judge panel for the 5th Circuit comprising two Republican-appointed judges and one Democrat-appointed judge sided with Planned Parenthood.

Susan Manning, general counsel for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, blasted the Texas and Louisiana lawsuit as a “politically-motivated” attempt to put the nonprofit out of business.

“This baseless case has only one goal: to shut down Planned Parenthood and deny patients access to sexual and reproductive health care,” Manning said in a statement this year. “Planned Parenthood health centers are nonprofits that provide essential, high-quality health care to more than 2 million people nationwide every year.”

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Separately, pro-life activists made progress in their mission to defund Planned Parenthood this year when Congress voted to strip the nonprofit of Medicaid funding at the federal level for a one-year period.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit sided against Planned Parenthood in a lawsuit over the measure.

Florida is receiving a major boost in federal funding as state and federal leaders announced Friday a “historic agreement” with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through the 287(g) program.

Governor Ron DeSantis joined ICE Deputy Director Madison D. Sheahan and other officials in Tallahassee, Florida, to announce that the state will receive more than $28 million, with an additional $10 million directed to local law enforcement. The funding is part of $1.7 billion being distributed nationwide under President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” Sheahan said.

THREE STATES SIGN NEW AGREEMENTS WITH ICE FOR EXPANDED IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS

“Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill,’ we are able to give out $1.7 billion to state and local law enforcement,” Sheahan said. “Today, I’d like to present a check to the state of Florida for over $28 million and to local law enforcement for over $10 million.”

According to ICE, $2.7 million of the funding will support transportation for local agencies, while $7.3 million will provide equipment for 974 local officers. At the state level, $1 million is allocated for transportation and $27.5 million for equipment benefiting 3,676 state officers.

TRUMP ADMIN OFFERS $608M FOR STATES TO BUILD MIGRANT CAMPS MODELED AFTER ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’

The 287(g) initiative empowers state and local law enforcement officers to help perform immigration enforcement duties. Florida has “set the standard” nationwide for 287(g) partnerships with 325 agreements in place, according to ICE.

“The state of Florida has truly put up historic numbers of support for our 287(g) program, with over 4,700 officers statewide executing arrests on criminal illegal aliens,” Sheahan said. 

Florida has also created a full-time immigration enforcement unit within the Highway Patrol — believed to be the first of its kind at the state level, officials said.

FLORIDA TOURIST HOTSPOT NEARLY BECOMES SANCTUARY CITY BEFORE LEADERS REVERSE ICE POLICY

“This is a partnership that we’re here to brag about, a partnership that Governor DeSantis has made a priority, so that way we can let everyone know how important it is to be a part of our 287(g) program,” Sheahan said.

Governor DeSantis also warned that any attempts to threaten or attack ICE agents in Florida would not be tolerated.

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“Florida is not Portland,” DeSantis said. “If you think you can go and launch attacks against ICE agents in this state, you’ve got another thing coming. We will hold you accountable very swiftly and very severely.”

The announcement comes after one ICE detainee was killed, and two others were injured Wednesday when a gunman opened fire on an agency facility in Dallas. The FBI is treating the incident as a “targeted attack” on the agency. The suspect, identified as Joshua Jahn, allegedly opened fire as ICE officers were bringing detainees into the building.

Fox News Digital’s Adam Sabes contributed to this report.

The Transportation Department is making major changes to eligibility requirements for non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) and commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). This comes amid an ongoing audit carried out by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Under the new rules, noncitizens will not be able to get a non-domiciled CDL unless they meet a stricter set of requirements, which include an employment-based visa. The department is also instituting “a mandatory federal immigration status check using the SAVE system.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the move on Friday and said that what his department uncovered in its investigation of licensing practices “should disturb and anger every American.”

‘ENGLISH ISN’T OPTIONAL’: SENATE GOP BILL TAKES AIM AT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKERS AFTER FLORIDA CRASH

“Licenses to operate a massive, 80,000-pound truck are being issued to dangerous foreign drivers — often times illegally. This is a direct threat to the safety of every family on the road, and I won’t stand for it,” Duffy said in a statement. “Today’s actions will prevent unsafe foreign drivers from renewing their license and hold states accountable to immediately invalidate improperly issued licenses.”

The Transportation Department said Friday that, in its audit, the FMCSA discovered noncompliance in several states, noting that the “most egregious” case was that of California. CDLs were allegedly issued to drivers who were ineligible and drivers whose licenses were valid after their lawful presence in the U.S. expired. The department said this was due to weak oversight, insufficient training and programming errors.

TRUMP ADMIN THREATENS TO CUT MILLIONS IN FEDERAL FUNDING FROM 3 STATES OVER TRUCKER ENGLISH LANGUAGE RULES

“California’s reckless disregard is frankly disgusting and an affront to the millions of Americans who expect us to keep them safe,” Duffy added. “California must get its act together immediately, or I will not hesitate to pull millions in funding.”

California was under fire for this issue last month when an illegal immigrant trucker who obtained a limited-term CDL from the Golden State in 2024 allegedly killed three people when attempting to make an unauthorized U-turn in Florida. Harjinder Singh, the trucker, was later charged with three counts of vehicular homicide.

The Transportation Department has given California 30 days to come into compliance. If the state fails to do so, it could lose federal funding, which the department said could be nearly $160 million in the first year.

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While California was singled out in the department’s statement, Duffy urged all governors to fix their non-domiciled CDL issuing systems immediately.

“You do not want the blood of more traffic deaths on your hands, governors,” Duffy said at a news conference on Friday.

Fox News Digital reached out to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office for comment.

Americans across party lines say the United States is in a political crisis, according to the findings of a new national poll conducted after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Seventy-nine percent of voters nationwide questioned in a Quinnipiac University survey released this week said the country’s in a political crisis, with just 18% disagreeing.

Ninety-three percent of Democrats, 84% of independents and 60% of Republicans said the nation’s in a political crisis.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE ASSASSINATION OF CHARLIE KIRK

“The Kirk assassination lays bare raw, bipartisan concerns about where the country is headed,” Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy said.

Kirk, the co-founder of the politically potent Turning Point USA conservative youth organization, close ally and outside adviser to President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance and media star was shot and killed earlier this month while speaking at a college campus event at Utah Valley University.

Earlier this summer, former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband were murdered in their home, and a top Democratic state senator and his wife who lived nearby were shot and seriously wounded.

This year’s incidents follow last year’s attempted assassinations against Trump.

According to the poll, 71% of voters think politically motivated violence in the United States today is a very serious problem, with 22% saying it’s a somewhat serious problem. Only 4% said it was not so serious or not a problem at all.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING RESULTS

“This is a jump from Quinnipiac University’s June 26 poll when 54 percent thought politically motivated violence in the United States today was a very serious problem, 37 percent thought it was a somewhat serious problem, 6 percent thought it was a not so serious problem, and 2 percent thought it was not a problem at all,” the survey’s release noted.

Nearly 6 in 10 questioned said they didn’t think it will be possible to lower the temperature on political rhetoric and speech in the United States, with just over a third questioned disagreeing.

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And a majority — 54% — said they think political violence in the United States will worsen over the next few years, while 27% said they think it will remain about the same and 14% said they believe it will ease.

The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted Sept. 18–21, with 1,276 self-identified registered voters surveyed nationwide. The poll’s overall sampling error was plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.

Spotting a “government shutdown” in the federal wild is a rare sight.

Oh, people talk a lot about government shutdowns. It’s kind of like spotting an elusive species while on safari in Africa. Maybe spying the Aurora Borealis during a trip to Quebec. Perhaps finding yourself in the “zone of totality” for a solar eclipse.

Many now toiling on Capitol Hill, serving in the federal government, working for the current Trump administration or are freshmen in Congress have never witnessed a government shutdown. You might not know exactly what to expect. After all, Congress and a presidential administration haven’t had a dalliance with a government shutdown since the 35-day closure in late 2018 and early 2019.

GARBAGE COLLECTION, TOURS TO BE SUSPENDED ON CAPITOL HILL IF THERE’S A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN 

Every shutdown is different. It’s a near political certainty that the sides seize up periodically, compelling a government shutdown. Such was the case with the last one. President Donald Trump demanded money for his border wall. The same with the 16-day shutdown over repealing Obamacare in 2013. Or even with a couple of partial but significant shutdowns in late 1995, stretching into 1996, over cuts to health care and environmental spending.

Here’s what we know about past shutdowns:

Federal employees, not deemed essential, don’t go to work. The military and those in national security remain on the job. However, pay for everyone is in abeyance until the shutdown is settled. Anything not essential stops. National parks and museums usually close. However, the Postal Service continues to operate. Passport processing usually stops. Air traffic controllers continue to work. 

But they aren’t paid until there’s a resolution. The government continues to pay Social Security and other retirement or health benefits, but there’s always the possibility that federal workers who process those checks could refuse to come to work if they’re not getting paid and a shutdown drags on.

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: TRUMP CANCELS MEETING WITH DEMOCRATS AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS

There’s often a tipping point in each government shutdown that triggers the sides to lay down their political swords and forge an agreement. That returns everyone to work.

In 2013, U.S. Capitol Police officers were still on the job without pay when they got involved in a high-speed chase and shooting that started at the White House and wound up near the Hart Senate Office Building. Officers were injured in the mayhem. That prompted lawmakers from both sides to sober up and re-open the government.

Growing concern about aviation safety helped end a 2019 shutdown. Air traffic controllers worked for more than a month without pay. A small group of controllers elected to stay home. That prompted a temporary shutdown at LaGuardia Airport in New York. Issues also materialized in Newark, N.J., Atlanta and Philadelphia. Fear of a major air disaster prompted lawmakers and the first Trump administration to terminate the shutdown.

Congress is different from the rest of the federal government. That’s because Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution allows it to make its own rules. The House and Senate usually meet during a shutdown. But major committee hearings are often postponed. Lawmakers continue earning their paychecks. That’s because the 27th Amendment prohibits “varying the compensation” of lawmakers without an intervening election. Some lawmakers make a point of saying they won’t accept pay during a shutdown. They may try to defer their compensation or even donate it to charity.

Congressional staff are paid, but not until a shutdown is over.

Every House and Senate office operates like an independent entity within Congress. So lawmakers decide who must come to work and who doesn’t. Some lawmakers determine that only a top aide or two are “essential.” Others claim they represent 750,000 people in their congressional district. Therefore, all of their staffers are “essential.”

But the institution of Congress makes decisions about Capitol Hill operations.

U.S. Capitol Police stay on duty. But restaurants, cafeterias and barber shops close during a shutdown. Custodians are furloughed. That means garbage and trash around the Capitol isn’t collected. Formal tours of the Capitol are suspended. The flag office – which handles requests from constituents to fly flags atop the Capitol on behalf of school groups or veterans – is shuttered.

Who prevails in government shutdowns? It’s hard to gauge the political benefit. It’s widely believed that former President Bill Clinton won his standoff with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., in 1995-1996. Clinton rode easily to reelection in the fall of 1996. Gingrich seemed to bleed support on Capitol Hill after the shutdown. But Gingrich secured significant spending reforms that ultimately resulted in a federal surplus a few years later. And Republicans maintained control of the House and Senate in 1996.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, engineered the 2013 shutdown over repealing Obamacare. Obamacare remains the law of the land. Cruz won reelection in 2018. Democrats didn’t flip the House in the 2014 midterms as Republicans expanded their majority. And the GOP gained control of the Senate.

The 2018-2019 shutdown started even before the House and Senate swore-in freshmen elected in the 2018 midterms. So divining a political impact from that particular shutdown is challenging. A host of other factors – including the COVID-19 pandemic – were much bigger than the shutdown by the time we got to November 2020. Trump lost reelection that year. Democrats maintained control of the House in 2020, and Democrats narrowly flipped the Senate.

But every shutdown is a little different. Has its own signature. A shutdown during Trump’s second term may be unlike any other shutdown we’ve seen.

White House Budget Director Russ Vought issued a memo this week, suggesting there may be mass firings if congressional appropriations lapse and those federal employees work on programs that don’t mesh with the Trump administration’s priorities.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who represents tens of thousands of federal workers just outside Washington, D.C., characterized this as “mafia-style blackmail.”

“Do you view the OMB memo as a threat to get you guys to back down or a bluff?” yours truly asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

“We will not be intimidated by Russ Vought, who is completely and totally out of control,” replied Jeffries. “Our response to Russ Vought is simple: get lost.”

On X, Jeffries called Vought “a malignant political hack.”

At this stage, the sides aren’t even trading offers. Just barbs.

That’s why political observers believe that the chances of a shutdown next week are astronomical. Either Democrats really take it on the chin – and accept the GOP bill. Or Republicans cave.

“We’re not going to change our position. That’s our position,” said Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was the lone Democrat who supported the Republican plan last week in the Senate.

“If anyone believes that we’re on a rocket sled to autocracy, why would we hand a shuttered government over to President Trump or to Vought at OMB?” questioned Fetterman.

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In nature, it’s rare to spot an addax. An amur leopard. A red wolf.

Government shutdowns are rare as well. But you might spot a shutdown in the wild soon. And you may have even witnessed other government shutdowns before. But perhaps not a shutdown like this one.

Following an anti-ICE shooting in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security announced that there will be an increase in security at its field offices.

Joshua Jahn, who meticulously planned the ambush, killed himself after killing one detainee and injuring two others while firing “indiscriminately” at the ICE facility from a rooftop, as well as at a van where the victims were harmed, according to the Department of Homeland Security. 

Jahn then killed himself after the shooting and the FBI later said that a bullet with “ANTI-ICE” written on it was located at the scene of the crime.

“FBI Dallas and FBI HQ have been working 24/7 to seize devices, exploit data, and process writings obtained on location and in the subject’s person/residence/bedroom,” FBI director Kash Patel posted to X on Thursday regarding the Dallas incident. “One of the handwritten notes recovered read, ‘Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, ’is there a sniper with AP [armor-piercing] rounds on that roof?’

ICE ATTACK IN DALLAS: JOSHUA JAHN IDENTIFIED IN LATEST VIOLENCE AGAINST AGENCY AS DANGEROUS PATTERN GROWS

“In light of the horrific shooting that was motivated by hatred for ICE and the other unprecedented acts of violence against ICE law enforcement, including bomb threats, cars being used [as] weapons, rocks and Molotov cocktails thrown at officers, and doxing online of officers’ families, DHS will immediately begin increasing security at ICE facilities across the country. Our ICE officers are facing a more than 1,000% increase in assaults against them,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

“For months, we’ve been warning politicians and the media to tone down their rhetoric about ICE law enforcement before someone was killed. This shooting must serve as a wake-up call to the far-left that their rhetoric about ICE has consequences,” she continued, saying the comparisons to the Nazi Gestapo and “slave patrols” can have real-world impacts for the worse.

Conservative immigration experts said the increase in security is ultimately the right call.

DALLAS ICE SHOOTING INJURES MEXICAN NATIONAL, SPARKING ‘CONCERN’ FROM MEXICO

“DHS has to increase security and come down hard on anyone threatening immigration officers or federal facilities.  This situation is truly disturbing,” Jessica M. Vaughan, Director of Policy Studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, told Fox News Digital in an email.

“Of course the shooter is responsible for this terrible act, but we cannot ignore the rhetoric and disinformation being put out there by opponents of immigration enforcement that is contributing to a hysterical demonization of the people who enforce the laws,” she added.

Concerns about violence against ICE come after numerous protests against the agency throughout the country, as the Trump administration continues to carry out deportations of those in the United States illegally.

MANGIONE, CATHOLIC CHURCH SHOOTER, CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTER, ICE SHOOTER ALL USED ENGRAVED BULLETS

“The Dallas shooting is another tragic reminder of the real-world consequences of reckless, anti-ICE rhetoric from the left,” RJ Hauman, a Dallas-based visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, said.

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“ICE agents and support staff face escalating threats simply for enforcing the law. Strengthening security at ICE facilities is the right move — it protects employees, visitors, and detainees alike, just as ICE works every day to protect all of us. Leaders across the spectrum should stand with them in this effort,” he continued.”

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.

The bitter ballot box battle in New Jersey, one of only two races for governor this year in the entire country, is in turmoil on Friday after a bombshell report Thursday revealed that the United States Naval Academy blocked Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, from walking with her graduating class amid a 1994 cheating scandal.

The report revealed a federal agency admitted it wrongly gave much of Democratic nominee Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s private military records to an ally of GOP rival Jack Ciattarelli.

Top House Democrats in Washington are calling for an investigation amid accusations President Donald Trump’s administration may be targeting political opponents.

But Ciattarelli and his campaign are raising questions about Sherrill, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate who went on to pilot helicopters in combat during her military career, after the documents released revealed that she was barred from walking with her classmates during her 1994 graduation for failing to report those who had cheated on an exam.

TRUMP LOOMS LARGE OVER THIS CRUCIAL RACE FOR GOVERNOR

And Ciattarelli is calling on Sherrill to release her records to prove why she was blocked from attending her graduation ceremony.

“What we learned today is that she was part of it in some way, shape or form. Come clean, release the records. Tell us what’s in your disciplinary records. I think the people of New Jersey deserve that,” Ciattarelli said Thursday night in an interview on Fox News’ “Hannity.”

The accusations from both sides come as the latest public opinion polls indicate a very close contest in blue-leaning New Jersey in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.

HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS’ 2025 ELECTION COVERAGE

“To have a guy I’m running against who will stop at nothing to illegally obtain records, it’s beyond the pale,” Sherrill charged Thursday night on the campaign trail in Plainfield, New Jersey.

The controversy went viral after CBS News reported Thursday that the National Personnel Records Center, which is a branch of the National Archives and Records Administration, released Sherrill’s improperly redacted military personnel files, which included private information including her social security number.

The National Archives, in a letter this week, apologized to Sherrill, saying the improper release was due to a government worker’s error over a legal records request.

Following the breach of the records, Sherrill’s campaign sent cease and desist letters to the National Archives and to Ciattarelli’s campaign, as well as to Ciattarelli’s top strategist, Chris Russell and Nicholas De Gregorio, who is described by Sherrill’s team as “an agent of the campaign working at the direction of” Russell.

CBS News reported that Sherrill’s military records were released to De Gregorio.

“The Trump administration blatantly violated federal law by releasing Mikie Sherrill’s unredacted personal military records to an agent of the Ciattarelli campaign — which were then distributed and weaponized by Jack Ciattarelli,” Sherrill campaign communications director Sean Higgins charged in a statement.

FROM KIRK TO KIMMEL – FIERY FIRST DEBATE BETWEEN CIATTARELLI, SHERRILL

Sherrill’s campaign argued, “This is a breathtaking, disturbing leak that must be thoroughly investigated. Once again, the Trump administration is targeting political opponents with an absolute disregard for the law, this time in concert with the Ciattarelli campaign.”

Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House, said he would “support a criminal investigation into the unauthorized and illegal release of Mikie Sherrill’s records.” 

The ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California, as well as Sherrill’s fellow House Democrats from New Jersey’s congressional delegation, also called for an investigation.

House Republicans two years ago launched investigations into similar improper releases of military records of GOP House members, including Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Zach Nunn of Iowa.

Around the same time the CBS News report was posted, the New Jersey Globe went up with a story focusing on Sherrill being barred from walking with her class at the Naval Academy graduation amid the cheating scandal, which made major headlines three decades ago and spurred a congressional investigation.

Cittarrelli campaign manager Eric Alpert charged that the “admission by Congresswoman Sherrill that she was implicated in, and punished for, her involvement in the largest cheating and honor code scandal in the history of the United States Navy is both stunning and deeply disturbing.”

“For eight years, Mikie Sherrill has built her entire political brand around her time at the Naval Academy and in the Navy, all the while concealing her involvement in the scandal and her punishment. The people of New Jersey deserve complete and total transparency,” he added.

Sherrill, who was never accused of cheating in the scandal, said Thursday night that “there was a test at the school that was stolen…I did not realize it was stolen. I took the test.”

“Afterwards I knew what the rumor mill was,” she added. “I didn’t come forward with that information.”

New Jersey is just one of two states, along with Virginia, that hold statewide elections for governor this November. And the contests, which traditionally grab outsized national attention, are viewed as crucial early tests of the president’s popularity and agenda, and key barometers ahead of next year’s midterm showdowns for the House and Senate.

Sherrill, on the campaign trail, has repeatedly linked Ciattarelli to Trump.

“As Trump has inflicted all this damage on our country, Republican politicians like Jack Ciattarelli have cheered him on every step of the way,” Sherrill emphasized in a recent fundraising email to supporters.

And on Sunday, at the first debate between the gubernatorial nominees, Sherrill pointed to Ciattarelli and charged that “he’ll do whatever Trump tells him to do.” 

Ciattarelli, who enjoys the president’s support, says Sherrill is trying to use Trump as a cudgel.

“Listen, if you get a flat tire on the way home from work today, she’s going to blame it on the president. There isn’t anything she doesn’t blame on the president,” Ciattarelli argued, as he sat earlier this week for an interview with Fox News Digital.

Ciattarelli, who is making his third straight run for governor and who came close to upsetting Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy four years ago, discounted talk that Trump is the dominant issue in the race.

“We’ve got a property tax crisis in the state. The president doesn’t have anything to do with that. We’ve got a public safety crisis in the state. Nonviolent crime is through the roof. He doesn’t have anything to do with that. We’ve got a public education crisis, an overdevelopment crisis. Look at your monthly electric bill. The President doesn’t have anything to do with those things,” Ciattarelli insisted.

And Ciattarelli, a former state lawmaker and a certified public accountant who started a medical publishing company before getting into politics, charged that the Democrats are to blame, as he works overtime trying to link Sherrill to Murphy, who’s term-limited, and the Democrats who’ve long controlled the state legislature in Trenton.

While New Jersey has long been a blue state in presidential elections, Trump improved from a 16-point loss in the state in the 2020 election to a 6-point deficit last November.

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Sherrill, who served as a federal prosecutor before first winning election to Congress in 2018, has been shining a campaign spotlight on affordability, as inflation concerns persist.

“I am laser-focused on driving down costs for families like yours. I’m going to declare a state of emergency on day one, freezing your rate hikes. I’m going to demand transparency and accountability from our government to save you time and money,” she said at the start of the first debate.

President Donald Trump said Friday that “I think we have a deal” on ending the Israel-Hamas war.

“It’s looking like we have a deal on Gaza, and we’ll let you know. I think it’s a deal that will get the hostages back. It’s going to be a deal that will end the war,” Trump told reporters while departing the White House.

“It’s going to be peace,” the president added. “I think we have a deal.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.