NationalWatch

EXCLUSIVE: A key moderate Republican lawmaker is coming out in support of impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, bringing House GOP leaders one step closer to unifying their conference on the issue.

Rep. John James, R-Mich., who represents a swing district that former President Donald Trump won by just 1% in 2020, told Fox News Digital that not only should Mayorkas be impeached but tried for treason as well.

“Secretary Mayorkas must be impeached and tried for treason,” he said. 

“Evidence will prove that Mayorkas’ sustained and willful betrayal of the public trust makes him an accessory to the poisoning of millions of Americans, complicit in a modern-day slave trade and so derelict in his duty to secure the homeland that it crosses unequivocally into the realm of high crimes and misdemeanors.”

TEXAS SEIZES CONTROL OF PARK, BLOCKS BORDER PATROL FROM ENTERING, AS PART OF ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION EFFORTS

House Republicans kicked off the process to impeach Mayorkas last week when the Homeland Security Committee held its first hearing into the matter on Wednesday. 

Democrats have decried the move as political, while Republicans have accused Mayorkas of being responsible for the migrant crisis at the southern border. The number of encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border broke 300,000 for the month of December, shattering records.

BIDEN LAWSUIT OVER TEXAS IMMIGRATION LAW LATEST ATTEMPT TO STIFLE STATE’S MOVES TO STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Any future House floor vote on impeachment will likely not get any support from the left. For GOP leadership, that means bringing together a Republican conference that has been highly fractured for much of this term and getting moderates like James on board.

Under the current circumstances, House GOP leaders cannot lose more than two votes to still pass anything along party lines. 

James was among more than 60 House Republicans who visited the border at the start of this month.

“I believe that legal immigration is an economic and moral imperative for this nation. But we’re talking about border security right now,” he told reporters on a press call afterward.

BIDEN DOJ SEEKS SUPREME COURT INTERVENTION OVER TEXAS RAZOR WIRE AT SOUTHERN BORDER

“We have Border Patrol agents that are underfunded, that are underappreciated, and they’re at their wit’s end. And part of the only reason they’re still sticking around is because if they leave, they feel like they’re leaving their buddies behind. That resonates with me… as a former military member.”

James also discussed the toll of human trafficking by smugglers taking people across the border illegally.

“These are human beings we’re talking about. These are men and women. These are children,” he said. “These are God’s creatures, who are being herded like cattle, like chattel, like, like animals, by these coyotes. And they’re being bought and sold to the tune of $32 million per week just in the Del Rio sector.”

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Republicans have blamed the Biden administration for fueling the crisis by rolling back Trump-era border policies. 

House conservatives are currently pushing to bring many of them back via their own border security bill, known as H.R.2.

Meanwhile, talks are ongoing in the Senate to cobble together a border security deal — talks which Mayorkas has been part of.

Asked for comment on Republicans’ impeachment push, a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a memo, “After decades of Congressional inaction on our broken immigration laws, Secretary Mayorkas and a bipartisan group of Senators are working hard to try and find real solutions to address these challenges. Instead of working in a bipartisan way to fix our broken immigration laws, the House Majority is wasting time on baseless and pointless political attacks by trying to impeach Secretary Mayorkas.”

The memo also pointed out that Republican lawmakers have fundraised off the Mayorkas impeachment push and the rhetoric around it, and that some in the GOP have decried it as a waste of time.

Vivek Ramaswamy responded to Donald Trump’s scathing personal attack, saying that he would not return his comments with “friendly fire” or criticize the former president, but warned voters to “open their eyes.”

“Yes, I saw President Trump’s Truth Social post. It’s an unfortunate move by his campaign advisors, I don’t think friendly fire is helpful,” Ramaswamy wrote in a late Saturday X post.  

“Donald Trump was the greatest President of the 21st century, and I’m not going to criticize him in response to this late attack,” the biotech multimillionaire continued.

TRUMP SAYS VIVEK RAMASWAMY ‘NOT MAGA’ IN BLISTERING ATTACK AHEAD OF IOWA CAUCUSES: ‘DON’T GET DUPED’

The “America first” campaigner, who has long been complimentary of the former president, defended Trump’s accusations that he was “not MAGA” arguing that he has “defended him at every step.”

“I’m worried for Trump. I’m worried for our country. I’ve stood up against the persecutions against Trump, and I’ve defended him at every step,” Ramaswamy said. 

“I showed up at the Miami courthouse in solidarity following his first federal indictment. I filed a FOIA demand to the Biden DOJ. I submitted an amicus brief this week with the U.S. Supreme Court calling on them to overturn Colorado’s ruling,” Ramaswamy continued. “I pledged to remove myself from Maine’s & Colorado’s primary ballots if they remove Trump, calling on DeSantis and Haley to do the same.”

Ramaswamy continued, attacking presidential candidate Nikki Haley, calling her the left’s “puppet” and encouraging voters to “open their eyes.”

“But we have to open our eyes. Last time it was a man-made pandemic & Big Tech election interference,” he wrote. 

HALEY ON DESANTIS HEADING TO SOUTH CAROLINA BEFORE NEW HAMPSHIRE: ‘WE DON’T HAVE TO HOP A STATE’

“Now, the same billionaires funding the lawsuits against Trump are the ones trying to prop up Nikki Haley. The same MSM blasting Trump is lavishing praise on Nikki,” Ramaswamy said. “They want to narrow this to a two-horse race between Trump & Haley, eliminate Trump (one way or other), & trot their puppet into the White House.”

“We can’t fall for that trap. 1 year from now, we won’t look back and say we were shocked that it happened. We’ll kick ourselves for not stopping it,” he said.

The GOP presidential candidate concluded his response by arguing that his “America First” movement did not start in 2016, but in 1776.

“Our movement must live on. America-First didn’t start in 2016. It started in 1776,” Ramaswamy said. “We owe it to our Founding Fathers to do the right thing for our country. I want to save Trump & to save this country. Let’s do it together.”

“You won’t hear any friendly fire from me,” he said.

TRUMP FIRST, HALEY SECOND, DESANTIS THIRD IN HIGHLY ANTICIPATED FINAL POLL AHEAD OF IOWA CAUCUSES

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Ramaswamy’s campaign spoke about the potential of Trump being removed from the presidential ballot.

“Just because it’s wrong doesn’t mean it won’t happen & we owe it to our nation to take America-First forward,” Ramaswamy’s campaign said.

Ramaswamy’s lengthy statement came after Trump and his team made direct, public attacks against the pharmaceutical entrepreneur.

“Vivek started his campaign as a great supporter, ‘the best President in generations,’ etc.,” Trump wrote in a Saturday evening Truth Social post. “Unfortunately, now all he does is disguise his support in the form of deceitful campaign tricks. Very sly.”

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Trump said that Vivek is “not MAGA” and encouraged his supporters to not get “duped.” 

“A vote for Vivek is a vote for the ‘other side’ — don’t get duped by this. Vote for “TRUMP,” the former president said. “Don’t waste your vote! Vivek is not MAGA.”

Nikki Haley’s campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Nikki Haley said that she does not need to “hop a state” when reacting to the news that her presidential opponent, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, was headed to her home state before the New Hampshire primaries.

“We’re going to do this one at a time. We played hard in Iowa. We’re playing hard in New Hampshire. We’re going to play hard in South Carolina. We’re going to keep on going. We don’t have to hop a state,” Haley said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “We’re going to play them all, and we’re going to make sure that we fight to earn every single vote.”

We’re going to keep on going. We don’t have to hop a state.

— Nikki Haley

The two-term South Carolina governor who later served as ambassador to the United Nations in the Trump administration said that while she welcomes DeSantis to her home state of South Carolina, she thinks it’s “a mistake.”

“I think it’s a mistake to ignore New Hampshire that way,” Haley said. “But I welcome him to South Carolina if he wants.”

SURPRISE MOVE: DESANTIS CAMPAIGN TRIES TO OUTFLANK HALEY IN HER OWN STATE AFTER IOWA CAUCUS

Haley’s pointed remarks toward the Florida Governor come after DeSantis’ campaign announced that he would head to Greenville, South Carolina, where he’ll hold one rally on Tuesday morning.

TRUMP TAKES NO CHANCES AS THE IOWA CAUCUSES APPROACH

DeSantis later told Fox News that he would head later in the day to New Hampshire, which holds the first primary and second overall contest in the GOP nominating calendar on Jan. 23, eight days after the Iowa caucuses.

Typically, Republican candidates transition to campaigning in New Hampshire following Monday’s Iowa caucuses.

HALEY KNOCKS MEDIA EXPECTATIONS BUT LOOKS TO ‘BIG SHOWING’ IN IOWA

South Carolina – another crucial early voting state – holds the first southern primary in the Republican schedule on Feb. 24.

On Saturday night, the final Des Moines Register/Mediacom/NBC News poll of likely Republican caucusgoers was released.

Trump stands at 48% support in the poll, with Haley at 20% and DeSantis at 16%.

Multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and first-time candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who has relentlessly campaigned across the Hawkeye State the past couple of months, stands at 8% support in the poll.

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The survey, conducted by longtime pollster Ann Selzer, has a well-earned tradition of accuracy in past GOP presidential caucuses, and is considered by many as the gold standard in Iowa polling.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

DES MOINES, IA – Former President Donald Trump remains the commanding front-runner in a closely watched poll of likely Republican presidential caucusgoers in Iowa.

And former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley edges Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for second place.

The final Des Moines Register/Mediacom/NBC News poll of likely Republican caucusgoers was released Saturday night, two days before the Iowa caucuses lead off the 2024 GOP presidential nominating calendar.

Trump stands at 48% support in the poll, with Haley at 20% and DeSantis at 16%

Multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and first-time candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who has relentlessly campaigned across the Hawkeye State the past couple of months, stands at 8% support in the poll.

BLIZZARD DERAILS IOWA CAMAPIGN EVENTS, WILL BELOW ZERO TEMPS DEPRESS CAUCUS TURNOUT?

The new poll is the second straight survey in Iowa to indicate Haley ahead of DeSantis, following a Suffolk University poll that was released a few days ago. But her advantage over DeSantis in the new survey is within the sampling error. 

And poll indicates that just nine percent of Haley supporters are extremely enthusiastic about her White House bid, which was much lower than enthusiasm among those backing Trump and DeSantis.

The survey, conducted by longtime pollster Ann Selzer, has a well-earned tradition of accuracy in past GOP presidential caucuses, and is considered by many as the gold standard in Iowa polling.

Trump is the clear front-runner in the race for Republican standardbearer as he makes his third White House run.

Trump made history last year as the first former or current president to be indicted for an alleged crime, but his four indictments, including charges he tried to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss, have only fueled his support among Republican voters.

TRUMP TAKES NO CHANCES AS THE IOWA CAUCUSES APPROACH

DeSantis, who was convincingly re-elected to a second term as Florida governor 14 months ago, was once the clear alternative to Trump in the Republican White House race. For months, he was solidly in second place behind the former president.

However, after a series of campaign setbacks over the summer and autumn, DeSantis saw his support in the polls erode.

Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations in the Trump administration, grabbed momentum during the autumn, thanks to well-regarded debate performances. In recent weeks, she caught up with DeSantis for second place in polls in Iowa and in national surveys. 

HALEY KNOCKS MEDIA EXPECTATIONS BUT LOOKS TO ‘BIG SHOWING’ IN IOWA

Haley also surpassed DeSantis and surged to second place and narrowed the gap with Trump in New Hampshire, the state that holds the first primary and second overall contest in the GOP nominating calendar, eight days after Iowa’s caucuses.

DeSantis appears to have staked much of his presidential campaign on a strong finish in Iowa. He has highlighted that he has stopped in all 99 of the state’s counties and showcased his strong grassroots outreach organization in Iowa. Pundits have labeled Iowa a “do-or-die” state for the Florida governor.

Last month, in multiple interviews, even though he was down double digits in the polls to Trump in Iowa, DeSantis predicted victory.

“We’re going to win Iowa. We’ve got the organization in place,” the governor declared in a Fox News Digital interview in Bettendorf, Iowa, a week before Christmas.

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But DeSantis seems to have tempered expectations, telling Fox News multiple times in recent days that “we’re going to do well” in Iowa.

The survey was released on Saturday evening, after a blizzard slammed into Iowa the past two days, and as frigid weather dropped temperatures below zero across the state.

The bitterly cold weather, which is forecast to extend into the working week, threatens to put a chill on turnout at Monday night’s caucuses.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who did not campaign in Iowa this cycle as he concentrated his time and resources in New Hampshire, suspended his campaign on Wednesday. His sliver of support was reallocated to the other candidates still in the race.

The poll was conducted Jan 7-12 , with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 points.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Former President Donald Trump attacked his GOP political opponent Vivek Ramaswamy in a scathing social media post on Saturday, calling the biotech multimillionaire “not MAGA.”

Ramaswamy, who has long been complimentary of the former president, was the latest candidate to fall victim to the former president’s social media criticism.

“Vivek started his campaign as a great supporter, ‘the best President in generations,’ etc.,” Trump wrote in a Saturday evening Truth Social post. “Unfortunately, now all he does is disguise his support in the form of deceitful campaign tricks. Very sly.”

Trump said that Vivek is “not MAGA” and encouraged his supporters to not get “duped.” 

STATE OF THE RACE: BLIZZARD DERAILS IOWA CAMPAIGN EVENTS; WILL BELOW ZERO TEMPS DEPRESS CAUCUS TURNOUT

“A vote for Vivek is a vote for the ‘other side’ — don’t get duped by this. Vote for “TRUMP,” the former president said. “Don’t waste your vote! Vivek is not MAGA.”

CLIMATE PROTESTERS DISRUPT RAMASWAMY TOWN HALL IN IOWA

“The Biden Indictments against his Political Opponent will never be allowed in this Country, they are already beginning to fall! MAGA!!!” Trump said.

Trump’s post came just two days after Ramaswamy filed an amicus brief at the Supreme Court in support of former president’s efforts to remain on state ballots.

“President Trump’s political opponents have sought to disqualify him from the ballot in multiple states because they fear they cannot beat him in a free and fair election,” Ramaswamy noted in the filing. “Needless to say, the distress of competing against a formidable opponent cannot justify disqualification under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. The consequences of affirming the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision will extend far beyond the dispute over President Trump’s eligibility.”

According to a Suffolk University survey of 500 Iowa voters likely to participate in Monday’s GOP presidential caucuses, Trump stands at 54% support, with Ramaswamy at 6% support in the poll.

Nikki Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations in the Trump administration, had 20% support.

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had 13% support, according to the Suffolk University survey.

Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: Utah GOP Senate hopeful Trent Staggs is snagging a key endorsement from Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville as he competes for retiring Senator Mitt Romney’s seat. 

Tuberville is the first Senator to throw his support behind the Senate candidate and weigh in on the race for Romney’s vacant seat. The Riverton, Utah, Mayor has already secured more than 30 endorsements from current and former elected officials in the Beehive State.

“I’m proud to endorse Trent Staggs for United States Senate. We don’t just need Republicans in Washington,” said Tuberville. “We need conservatives who aren’t afraid of a fight.” 

“I look forward to having Mayor Staggs join myself and Senator Mike Lee in taking on corruption, defending the unborn and fighting for the America First agenda,” said Tuberville.

Staggs, who said he would support term limits, tax cuts and immigration reform in Congress, has represented a town of about 45,000 people in Salt Lake Valley since 2018. While in office, Staggs says he helped establish Riverton’s own police department and grew the area’s economy.

MAYOR TRENT STAGGS SUGGESTS KYRIE IRVING LOOK FOR ‘NEW LINE OF WORK’ IF HE FOUND JAZZ FAN’S SIGN DISTRACTING

“I’m honored to have the endorsement of Senator Tuberville. I look forward to joining him in fighting against the radical left and defending liberty in Washington,”said Staggs. 

UTAH REPUBLICAN ANNOUNCES BID TO REPLACE ROMNEY AFTER SAYING HE WOULD NOT ENTER RACE AMID UNFINISHED WORK

Staggs is up against nearly a dozen contenders in the GOP Senate primary, namely Republican Utah Congressman John Curtis, who threw his hat in the race just days ago, telling Salt Lake City radio station KSL TV that he had an “aha moment” after teasing a Senate bid this September. 

“After many Utahns from across the state reached out and urged him to run, John decided it was the right thing to do,” a Curtis campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

RACE TO REPLACE ROMNEY IN SENATE HEATS UP AS ANOTHER REPUBLICAN LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN: ‘STRONG CONSERVATIVE WOMAN’

Former Utah state House Speaker Brad Wilson, Roosevelt Mayor Rod Bird Jr. and former GOP Sen. Mike Lee’s staffer Carolyn Phippen are among the other prominent contenders for the seat.

Although Romney has not endorsed his successor, he said that Washington needs “a new generation of leaders” and slammed both President Biden and former President Trump’s policies in his retirement announcement. 

“Utah is fortunate to have several candidates who are interested in serving in the Senate, and Senator Romney appreciates their willingness to serve. He is staying out of the race,” Liz Johnson, Romney’s chief of staff, told Fox News Digital.

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The Republican Senate primary election in Utah will be held on June 25, 2024. The general election will be on November 5, 2024. 

The Pentagon confirmed Saturday that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin remains hospitalized, nearly two weeks after he was admitted due to complications from surgery for prostate cancer.

Providing an update on the health of Austin, who has been hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center since Jan. 1, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the defense secretary is “in good condition” and that it’s still unknown when he will be released.

“He’s in contact with his senior staff and has full access to required secure communications capabilities and continues to monitor DOD’s day-to-day operations worldwide,” Ryder said of Austin. “We do not have a specific date for Secretary Austin’s release from the hospital at this time but will continue to provide daily updates until then.”

The Pentagon publicly revealed Jan. 5 that Austin had been in the hospital since Jan. 1 due to complications from elective surgery.

LLOYD AUSTIN HOSPITALIZATION: HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEMAND MORE DETAILS AS PRESSURE BUILDS ON PENTAGON

But it was later revealed that not only was the media kept in the dark, but the highest levels of the White House and top officials in the Pentagon itself were not aware until Jan. 4 Austin was in the hospital.

The non-disclosure prompted a flurry of bipartisan concern, with top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate Armed Services committees calling for more transparency.

In a recent statement to Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy, the White House confirmed President Biden continued to have “full trust and confidence” in the Pentagon’s leader.

BIDEN SAYS AUSTIN HAD LAPSE IN JUDGMENT FOLLOWING HOSPITALIZATION DEBACLE, SAYS HE STILL HAS CONFIDENCE IN HIM

“The president has full trust and confidence in Secretary Austin. He’s looking forward to him being back at the Pentagon,” the official said.

The Pentagon echoed the White House sentiment in a statement to Fox News Digital earlier this week, saying Austin also has no plans to resign.

“Secretary Austin has no plans to resign,” Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder said. “He remains focused on conducting his duties as secretary of defense in defense of our nation.”

Details emerged Wednesday indicating Austin’s chief of staff, Kelly Magsamen, was aware of her boss’s hospitalization Jan. 2 but did not inform Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, who took on some of the defense secretary’s duties during the initial hospital stay.

Ryder told reporters this delay was in part due to Magsamen having the flu.

A senior U.S. defense official told Fox News Wednesday a military assistant from Austin’s office notified a counterpart in Hicks’ office of the transfer of authority to her Jan. 2.

Then, on Jan. 4, it was Magsamen who notified the chief of staff for Hicks that Austin had been hospitalized Jan. 1 and that his condition was improving.

When asked by Fox News if it was senior military assistant Lt. Gen. Ron Clark who spoke to the military assistant in Hicks’ office on Tuesday, the senior U.S. defense official did not have an answer and said a 30-day review will cover exactly who the military assistant was.

PENTAGON SLAMMED FOR CALLING LLOYD AUSTIN’S SURGERY TO REMOVE CANCER ‘ELECTIVE’: ‘ARGUING SEMANTICS’

During a visit to small businesses outside Allentown, Pennsylvania, Biden said “yes” when asked by reporters if it was a lapse in judgment for Austin not to tell him about his condition.

When a reporter asked him if he still has confidence in Austin’s leadership following his hospitalization debacle, Biden replied, “I do.”

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center revealed Tuesday that Austin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in early December and underwent a prostatectomy on Dec. 22.

The hospital added that the 70-year-old recovered uneventfully from his surgery and was released the following morning. His prostate cancer was detected early, and the prognosis was “excellent,” according to the hospital.

Several House Republicans are going directly to Austin for more information on the decision-making that led to senior officials in the White House and Pentagon reportedly being in the dark for days about his recent hospitalization.

Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., led a group of two dozen GOP lawmakers in writing a letter to Austin with questions about who was part of the decision to delay disclosure, how Austin would respond “if one of your combatant commanders was unable to discharge the duties of their office for three or four days and you were not informed” and who was in the loop about his situation from the beginning, among other details.

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In a post to X on Saturday, New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik wrote, “Secretary Austin and anyone who lied for him will be held accountable.”

The Associated Press, Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom, Greg Norman, and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., will introduce legislation next week that would put a citizenship question on the census to prevent non-citizens from being counted for congressional apportionment — amid a surge of migrants in recent years due to the ongoing border crisis.

The Equal Representation Act, a draft of which was obtained by Fox News Digital, would require a citizenship question to be put on the decennial census asking whether the respondent is a citizen, a resident non-citizen or an illegal immigrant.

The bill would then require that the census not count those who are non-citizens for the apportionment of congressional districts. Currently, all people who take the census, including resident non-citizens and illegal immigrants, are counted for redistricting.

REP ROSENDALE VOWS TO RESTORE TRUMP-ERA POLICIES WITH IMMIGRATION PACKAGE: ‘BIDEN IS DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY’

It would apply to the census conducted in 2030 and beyond. 

The bill comes amid long-standing concerns from Republicans that Democrats will benefit electorally from a surge in illegal immigrants into the country, who then will often flock to liberal areas with broad social services and right-to-shelter laws and sanctuary policies that prevent cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

MAYORKAS TELLS BORDER PATROL AGENTS THAT ‘ABOVE 85% OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RELEASED INTO US: SOURCES 

Former President Donald Trump had tried to include a citizenship question on the census but had been rebuked by the Supreme Court, saying the reasoning was insufficient. Trump had considered using an executive order to put the question on the census, but ultimately it went ahead without one.

“Think about it, $15-20 billion [on a census], and you’re not allowed to ask if someone’s a citizen,” he said at the time.

The question has re-emerged with the massive number of migrants coming through into the U.S. due to the current border crisis, with many flooding to cities like New York City and Chicago. States like California also have their numbers bolstered potentially by larger numbers of illegal immigrants. 

There were over 2.4 million migrant encounters in FY 23. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has said that over a million people have been released into the U.S., and he recently told Border Patrol agents that they have been releasing over 85% of migrants into the interior.

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Comments by Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-NY, went viral recently when she said, “I need more people in my district just for redistricting purposes” and drew the attention of commentators including X CEO Elon Musk.

This week, similar legislation was introduced in the House as part of a package of legislation from Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) ripped Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) for his “mean-spiritedness” in the illegal immigration crisis, saying he has “devastated” the lives of asylum-seekers.

Adams made those comments Thursday on Good Morning America 3, where he said the governor “has intentionality” in placing migrants on buses and “compelling” them to leave the city. The mayor said that is why he has sued more than a dozen charter bus and transportation companies involved in sending thousands of migrants to New York. 

“We reached out and tried to coordinate with [Abbott], just the mean-spiritedness of this governor, who has this intentionality of just placing people on buses, compelling them to leave the city. That is why we taking legal action,” Adams said. 

“When you look at what he’s doing, history is going to reflect how much he has devastated the lives of people,” he added.

HOUSE DEM IN TRUMP DISTRICT TAKES HEAT FOR SAYING ‘NOBODY STAYS AWAKE AT NIGHT’ OVER BORDER CRISIS

New York is a sanctuary city that limits how much local law enforcement officials can comply with federal immigration authorities. City law also requires homeless people to be housed — policies that don’t exist in border states like Texas. 

There were more than 2.4 million migrant encounters in FY 23, and officials have told lawmakers last month that they are releasing an average of 5,000 a day into the U.S.

Abbott began busing migrants to Washington D.C. in April 2022, and has since expanded to cities including New York City, Denver, Philadelphia and Chicago. Additionally, the state has sent flights to some cities to protest the Biden administration’s immigration policies and highlight how communities at the border, with vastly fewer resources than sanctuary cities, are overwhelmed by the flow of illegal immigration. 

Last week, Adams announced a $708 million lawsuit against 17 charter bus companies that have been employed by Texas to transport migrants to sanctuary cities like New York. 

NYC MAYOR ADAMS SUES TEXAS BUS COMPANIES FOR TRANSPORTING MIGRANTS TO SANCTUARY CITY, SEEKS $700 MILLION

The lawsuit argues that the companies have violated New York state law by not paying for the cost of caring for migrants and seeks damages meant to recoup the cost of caring for them. It cites New York law that requires anyone who brings a “needy person” from out of state for the purposes of making them a public charge to either take them out of the state or support them. 

Abbott has dismissed the lawsuit as “baseless.” He has brushed off criticism from Adams and other Democrat mayors and said he is busing the migrants to help besieged Texas communities. The state says it has transported over 95,000 migrants to “sanctuary” cities, which Abbott recently noted is “only a FRACTION of what overwhelmed Texas border towns face daily.” 

Adams said on Good Morning America 3 that almost 170,000 migrants have been “dropped” in New York City, roughly 1.5 times the population of Albany, New York. The mayor said there should be a national “decompression strategy” to spread asylum-seekers paroled into the United States “throughout the country and not target just certain cities.” 

“Cities should not be handling a national crisis of this magnitude,” Adams said, noting that New York has received between 2,500 and 4,000 migrants each week. 

ABBOTT SAYS ‘WE’RE NOT SHOOTING PEOPLE’ WHO CROSS THE BORDER BECAUSE FEDS ‘WOULD CHARGE US WITH MURDER’

“You have to find housing, food, shelter, clothing, educating the children, health care, that’s not sustainable,” Adams said. “So a $12 billion hole in the budget of our economy is going to impact low-income New Yorkers and is going to impact every service in this city.” 

The mayor stressed the need for migrants to be able to find “work.” 

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“Listen, this is a country of immigrants,” Adams said. “The difference between what we did with Ukrainian citizens and other immigrants who have made their way here to this great country is we allowed them to work.” 

“This is so anti-American, that we’re telling thousands of people you must come to a country and you can’t provide for your children and families. That is not how we are as a country, and that is what is at the heart of this issue.”

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

DES MOINES, Iowa – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling an audible.

Instead of heading directly to New Hampshire following Monday’s Iowa caucuses – which is the traditional path for White House contenders – the Republican presidential candidate plans to target rival Nikki Haley with a stop in her home state of South Carolina.

The DeSantis campaign said on Friday that the governor will depart Iowa following his caucus night party and head to Greenville, South Carolina, where he’ll hold a Tuesday morning rally in the state’s heavily conservative northwestern corner.

DeSantis later told Fox News that he would head later in the day to New Hampshire, which holds the first primary and second overall contest in the GOP nominating calendar on Jan. 23, eight days after the Iowa caucuses.

HEAVY SNOW, HIGH WINDS, CURTAIL CAMPAIGNING IN IOWA

South Carolina – another crucial early voting state – holds the first southern primary in the Republican schedule on Feb. 24.

The latest polls in Iowa indicate that DeSantis and Haley are battling for a distant second place behind former President Donald Trump, who remains the commanding front-runner as he makes his third straight White House run.

NEW POLL SUGGESTS HALEY’S MOVED INTO SECOND PLACE IN FINAL DAYS AHEAD OF IOWA CAUCUSES

Haley, who’s soared in recent months, now has second place all to herself and is closing the gap with Trump in New Hampshire. DeSantis registered in the single digits in the latest surveys in the Granite State.

The most recent poll in South Carolina indicates Trump with a very formidable double-digit lead over Haley, with DeSantis a distant third in the single digits.

But DeSantis, in a Friday night interview on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle,” touted his support in Haley’s home state.

“I think the message is simple that you look at South Carolina, Nikki Haley was governor there, and I’ve got, like, five times more endorsements from state legislators — current and former — than she does,” he showcased.

And DeSantis argued that Haley’s “really out of step, I think, with South Carolina. We’re going to show that with the support we have.”

WAS THE CANDIDATE WHO SKIPPED OUT ON THIS WEEK’S IOWA DEBATE THE WINNER OF THE COMBATIVE SHOWDOWN?

DeSantis campaign communications director Andrew Romeo told Fox News in a statement that the stop on Tuesday in South Carolina is a sign that “this campaign is built for the long-haul. We intend to compete for every single available delegate in New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina and then into March.”

The Florida governor, who was convincingly re-elected 14 months ago, has staked much of his White House campaign on a strong performance in Iowa.

But there’s speculation that if he ends up finishing third in Iowa, he may suspend his campaign.

Asked whether he’s heading on to New Hampshire regardless of his finish in Iowa, DeSantis reiterated in a Fox Digital interview on Friday that “we’re going to be in New Hampshire. Yeah.”

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Trump remains very popular in South Carolina, which is a reliably red state. He enjoys the backing of Gov. Henry McMaster, senior Sen. Lindsey Graham, and several House members.

Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who ended his own presidential campaign in November, remains neutral in the GOP nomination race.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

A Washington state Democrat in a district that voted for former President Trump is under fire from Republicans for comments last year in which she said that “nobody stays up at night” because of the crisis at the southern border.

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., who won her seat in an upset in 2022, was on Pod Save America in March when she made the comments about the ongoing border crisis — arguing that most Americans have other things to worry about.

“Listen, nobody stays awake at night worrying about the southern border,” she said. “That’s just not…people stay awake at night worrying that their kid is gonna relapse or that, you know, someone’s going to drop out of school or they’re going to lose their house.” 

SENATE REPORT SOUNDS ALARM ON SURGE IN FENTANYL DEATHS AMONG OLDER AMERICANS: ‘SILENT EPIDEMIC’ 

“Those are the things that…not socialism and I think that’s been the most frustrating thing about being actually in DC is that we’re like voting on the horrors of socialism and it’s like that’s not what matters to people,” she said.

The remarks came in March and before the ending of the Title 42 public health order months later. Since then, migrant numbers have skyrocketed to record highs and in December there were more than 302,000 migrant encounters. Overall in FY 23 there were a record 2.4 million encounters.

The National Republican Congressional Committee pointed to reports that her part of the country has seen a 500% increase in fentanyl-related overdoses amid a nationwide fentanyl and opioid crisis. Fentanyl is typically made in drug labs in Mexico using precursors from China and then shipped across into the U.S. via the land border. Republicans have highlighted the massive increase in seizures of the drug, as well as continued high deaths from the drug, and have linked it to the ongoing border crisis, warning that drugs could be slipping past overwhelmed agents. Of the over 107,000 overdose deaths in 2021, 75% involved an opioid, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC.) The Biden administration has put the increase in seizures of the drug down to better screening and technology at ports of entry, and has said it needs more funding.

DOJ RENEWS SCOTUS PUSH TO ACT AFTER TEXAS SEIZES BORDER AREAS, BLOCKS BORDER PATROL FROM ENTERING 

The NRCC also criticized her for voting against the Republican border security bill, H.R. 2 last year, which includes a slew of provisions to limit releases of migrants and increase border security.

“Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s comments are not only tone-deaf, they reveal her dangerous true beliefs about the border,” NRCC spokesperson Ben Peterson told Fox News Digital.

“Gluesenkamp Perez callously dismissing the Biden border crisis as if it’s not fueling the fentanyl epidemic slamming her district, then voting against border security shows how unfit she is,” he said.

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A few months after her comments on Pod Save America, Gluesenkamp Perez co-sponsored a bipartisan bill in May that would compel DHS to create a comprehensive strategy to secure the border, including a review of security risks and tools for combating fentanyl trafficking. Her office did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.

The criticism comes as negotiations are ongoing in Congress over the White House’s request for $14 billion in border funding as part of its overall $105 billion supplemental request. Republicans are demanding stricter limits on asylum and releases into the interior. Meanwhile, Texas has been facing off with the federal government over who has the authority to tackle the continuing crisis. 

DES MOINES, Iowa – The blizzard conditions across Iowa that sidetracked the presidential campaign trail three days ahead of the state’s caucuses were just the first punch.

Now comes frigid below zero temperatures, which are forecast for the weekend and into next week. 

And the bitterly cold weather threatens to put a chill on turnout at Monday night’s caucuses, which lead off the Republican presidential nominating calendar.

The blast of winter weather didn’t stop Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis from holding an early morning event Friday in suburban Des Moines.

HEAVY SNOW, HIGH WINDS, CURTAIL CAMPAIGNING  

“I’m really impressed that so many people came out, given the weather,” DeSantis said to the crowd who came out to hear him and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds — who’s backing him — addressed the crowd at a meeting of the Northside Conservatives Club.

Minutes later, DeSantis pledged in a Fox News Digital interview that “I’m going to show up” and emphasized that with the clock ticking toward the caucuses, “I’m going to use every minute I can to be able to win votes.”

While the weather didn’t sidetrack DeSantis’ first campaign stop of the day, his remaining four stops in northern, central and eastern Iowa, which were being organized by Never Back Down, his aligned super PAC, were postponed.

NEW POLL SUGGESTS HALEY’S MOVED INTO SECOND PLACE IN FINAL DAYS AHEAD OF IOWA CAUCUSES

DeSantis did head over to his campaign headquarters in suburban Des Moines in the afternoon to speak with volunteers who were making calls to urge supporters to attend Monday’s caucuses.

Due to the rough road conditions across the Hawkeye State, the campaign of former ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley canceled their in-person events on Friday and instead held tele-town halls, which they said were well-attended.

“I’m sorry I’m not in Fort Dodge, but it was important for me to talk to you,” Haley emphasized at the top of one of her events.

Of the three major candidates in Iowa on Friday, only multi-millionaire biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy kept to his in-person campaign schedule despite the dangerous weather.

The effects of the winter blast lingered into the weekend, with Donald Trump’s campaign canceling three of the four in-person rallies the former president was scheduled to headline on Saturday and Sunday.

WAS THE CANDIDATE WHO SKIPPED OUT ON THIS WEEK’S IOWA DEBATE THE WINNER OF THE COMBATIVE SHOWDOWN?

The big question moving forward is whether the below zero temperatures will take a bite out of turnout on Monday night. 

DeSantis, who polls indicate is battling Haley for a distant second place in Iowa behind commanding front-runner Trump, was confident the frigid temperatures wouldn’t deter his supporters.

“We have a lot of people that we have signed up to commit to for us over many months. I think they’re motivated, they’re passionate, and they’re going to show up,” DeSantis told Fox News. “What about the broader electorate? I just don’t know. But I’m confident our people are going to come out strong.”

DeSantis supporters that heard him speak Friday morning agreed.

“A little bit of cold can’t keep you away,” said Brian Miller of Ankeny, who brought his two young sons with him to see DeSantis. 

And Laura Murphy, another Ankeny resident, emphasized “it’s important. We need people in numbers to come out Monday. We’re Iowans. We can handle it.”

Linda Burk, another DeSantis supporter, said she would also brave to below zero temperatures on Monday night to attend a caucus. But Burk, an older voter, added that “it depends on the weather for people my age.”

WHAT NIKKI HALEY TOLD FOX NEWS ABOUT CHRIS CHRISTIE’S HOT MIC MOMENT

Haley, speaking to supporters on a tele-town hall, acknowledged “I know that on January 15th, it is going to be negative 19. I know it’s asking a lot of you to go out and caucus, but I also know we have a country to save. And I will be out there in the cold. And I know Iowans take this in a very serious way.”

“If you go out, please remember to bring your I.D. with you. Please wear layers of clothes just in case there are lines so that you are staying safe,” she stressed.

Longtime Iowa GOP chair Jeff Kaufmann was confident that the frigid forecast wouldn’t keep Iowans home on caucus night.

“Out of everything – snow, ice and the cold temperatures – the cold temperatures worry me the least,” he told Fox News on Friday.

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Pointing to the blizzard conditions as he was interviewed, Kaufmann said “if it was today. I would be worried. On Monday, we’re going to have two days of clearing off the roads. There doesn’t appear to be any ice. There doesn’t appear to be any wind. Iowans can handle the cold. And they know exactly what to do to keep themselves safe.”

It was a similar prediction from Will Rogers, the former Polk County GOP chair. 

“Look, we’re Iowans. It’s January in the Midwest, winter. We expect it to be cold,” he told reporters. “Yes, this may be the coldest caucus on record. I still think with the number of campaigns and what they’ve been doing, we’re going to have tremendous turnout.” 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., on Friday introduced a broad immigration package that includes measures to “shut down the border” and reverse key Biden-era policies that Republicans blame for the historic crisis at the southern border.

The package introduces or reintroduces five bills that would limit entries into the U.S., restore Trump policies that Republicans have credited for slowing illegal immigration and limit the effects of immigration on the U.S.

The “Remain in Mexico Act” would restore the Trump-era policy of the same name that kept migrants in Mexico as they waited for their asylum hearings rather than being released into the U.S. 

Supporters of the program said it stopped a key pull factor drawing migrants to the border but was shut down by the Biden administration, which called it ineffective and inhumane.

HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON BIDEN ADMIN ‘EFFORTS TO UNDERMINE’ IMMIGRATION LAW 

Another bill in the package would make it a federal crime to flee from law enforcement at checkpoints, changing current law that only makes it illegal to do so in a vehicle at high speed.

Meanwhile, the American Worker Protection Act is focused on legal immigration and would codify a Trump-era rule regarding H-1B visas, a controversial guest worker program used predominantly by Big Tech. 

REPUBLICANS, DEMS SPAR AT MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT HEARING AS STATE AGS DESCRIBE IMPACT OF MIGRANT CRISIS 

The rule, an effort to prevent American workers from being replaced by cheaper foreign competitors, would have changed the methodology for the wage level that must be met by those seeking to bring in foreign workers instead of the current lottery system. That rule was scrapped by the Biden administration. 

Rosendale’s Mass Immigration Reduction Act would also create a moratorium on most immigration for five years, and it would only be lifted once the number of illegal crossings is under 10,000 a year. In fiscal 2023, there were more than 2.4 million such crossings. A version of that bill was first introduced in the early 2000s.

Finally, the Count Only Citizens Act would require the Census Bureau to include a citizenship and legal presence question in the census so that illegal immigrants are not counted for the purposes of congressional representation. President Trump had pushed for a similar move, but it was unsuccessful.

MAYORKAS TELLS BORDER PATROL AGENTS THAT ‘ABOVE 85%’ OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RELEASED INTO US: SOURCES 

“Biden is destroying our country with his open border policies,” Rosendale said in a statement. “My immigration bills will set the proper mechanisms in place to shut down the border, give DHS the tools to pursue criminals evading border checkpoints, encourage American companies to hire American employees, protect taxpayer dollars by only counting citizens in the census and require those waiting on an immigration hearing to wait in Mexico.

“This package puts into statute the many successful policies that President Trump implemented and will not only tackle the crisis head on, but it will also reverse the reckless, crime-encouraging, open-border policies of the Biden administration.”

The package is the latest effort by Republicans to tackle the ongoing crisis at the southern border. Republicans have blamed the Biden administration for rolling back Trump-era policies and expanding releases into the U.S. interior.

The administration says it is dealing with a Hemisphere-wide crisis and needs more funding and comprehensive immigration reform — including greater legal immigration and an amnesty for illegal immigrants — from Congress.

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But Republicans instead have eyed more restrictions on asylum and releases as part of any supplemental funding deal and, as Rosendale’s bill package shows, there is an appetite among some members for placing some restrictions on legal immigration as well.

• Prince William County, Virginia, has admitted to underreporting President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory over predecessor Donald Trump.
• Officials are believed to have underreported Biden’s vote total by 1,648 votes, and overreported Trump’s by 2,327.
• The county, which primarily encompasses Washington, D.C.’s outer suburbs, is a Democratic stronghold.

A northern Virginia county is acknowledging that it underreported President Joe Biden’s margin of victory over Donald Trump there in the 2020 presidential election by about 4,000 votes, the first detailed accounting of errors that came to light in 2022 as part of a criminal case.

The admission Thursday from the Prince William County Office of Elections comes a week after prosecutors from the Virginia Attorney General’s office dropped charges against the county’s former registrar, Michele White.

Counts were also off in races for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, though by lesser margins.

VIRGINIA DROPS LAST REMAINING CHARGE AGAINST DC-AREA ELECTIONS OFFICIAL

In a statement, the county’s current registrar, Eric Olsen, emphasized that the mistakes did not come close to affecting the outcome of any race and “did not consistently favor one party or candidate but were likely due to a lack of proper planning, a difficult election environment, and human error.”

In the presidential race, the county mistakenly shorted Biden by 1,648 votes, and overreported Trump’s count by 2,327 votes. The 3,975-vote error in the margin of victory was immaterial in a contest that Biden won by 450,000 votes in Virginia and by more than 60,000 votes in Prince William County.

In the U.S. Senate race, Democrat Mark Warner was shorted by 1,589 votes and Republican Daniel Gade was shorted by 107 votes. Warner won statewide by more than 500,000 votes.

And in a U.S. House race, Republican Robert Wittman was shorted by 293 votes. He won by more than 80,000.

The details released Thursday were the first extensive response about the errors since White was initially charged in 2022 with corrupt conduct, making a false statement and neglect of duty. Prosecutors from the office of Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares dropped the charges against White with little explanation, and court records lacked details on the alleged misconduct.

Only on Thursday did it even become public which candidates benefitted from the mistakes. Olsen said Thursday that he was restricted from being more forthcoming about the errors while the criminal case was litigated.

In a phone interview, Olsen said the majority of errors occurred in so-called “split precincts,” in which one precinct is home to two different congressional districts. The county’s voting system did not split the presidential vote by congressional district. The state system required them to be split that way. The errors occurred trying to conform the county data with the state requirements, he said.

Other mistakes highlighted faults in the county’s validation process. For example, Olsen said he first discovered the mistakes when he noticed that Precincts 607 and 608 displayed identical presidential votes. Someone had entered one precinct’s data into the other by mistake.

“It seemed like an obvious typo,” said Olsen, who replaced White as registrar and eventually reported the irregularities under his predecessor to state officials.

The case against White is the only criminal prosecution brought thus far by a special Election Integrity Unit that Miyares formed in 2022. Miyares’ office said the unit was created in part to fulfill a campaign promise “because Virginians expressed concerns to him about our elections as he traveled across the Commonwealth.” Critics, including the NAACP, said the unit was formed to pander to election deniers.

JUDGE DROPS FELONY CHARGES AGAINST VIRGINIA ELECTIONS OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF 2020 MISCONDUCT

White’s attorney, Zachary Stafford, said the allegations that White was responsible for the incorrect numbers were disproven by pretrial statements from a government witness, and that prosecutors wisely dropped the charges. He said the county’s Electoral Board is the one that certified the election results, and White became a scapegoat.

“The board certified incorrect results and they, and the attorney general’s office, attempted to assign blame to Ms. White for their mistakes,” Stafford said in a written statement.

Virginia’s most recent redistricting has dramatically reduced the number of split precincts that caused Prince William County problems in 2020.

Olsen, the elections official, says new procedures and systems are in place to prevent errors.

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“Mistakes are unfortunate but require diligence and innovation to correct. They do not reflect a purposeful attempt to undermine the integrity of the electoral process and the investigation into this matter ended with that conclusion,” Olsen said in a statement.

Climate protesters continue appearing on the campaign trail in Iowa, this time disrupting a town hall Friday night held by Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. 

At least six protesters were spotted attempting to shout down the biotech entrepreneur at an event in West Des Moines, some of them holding signs that read “Vivek: Climate Criminal.”

“The planet is on fire!” the protesters chanted. Others shouted “Vivek is a liar!”

DESANTIS SHUTS DOWN ‘NUMBNUTS’ CLIMATE PROTESTERS AT IOWA EVENT, SECURITY TACKLES TO THE GROUND: ‘I’M DOING THIS’

In another video, Ramaswamy is seen engaging with the hostile attendees, clashing with them after they claimed he receives money from fossil fuels, which he denied.

One of them exclaimed “You say you care about our future and that little girl’s future- how much money would it cost for you to actually care about us.”

“If you want to have a seat and we can have a respectful discussion, we can do that,” Ramaswamy said. 

RAMASWAMY URGES SUPREME COURT TO OVERTURN COLORADO DECISION, FILES AMICUS BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF TRUMP

The disruptive protesters were eventually forced out of the event after Ramaswamy repeatedly pleaded for them to have a “respectful discussion.”

Ramaswamy spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital, “A good way to tell whether you actually care about free speech principles: flip-flop which side is using the tactic you don’t like, and see if you feel the same way,” adding “Vivek is a free speech absolutist.”

This isn’t the first campaign event climate protesters have crashed this week. On Thursday, climate protesters similarly disrupted an event by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. One protester was even seen tackled by security. 

“That is (what’s) wrong with the college system right there. That’s exhibit A,” DeSantis quipped about the tackled protester. 

Protesters also briefly appeared during Tuesday’s Fox News town hall featuring DeSantis.

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Time is running out for the GOP hopefuls ahead of the Iowa caucuses on Monday and the snowy and freezing conditions could have an impact on turnout. 

The RealClearPolitics average of polls show former President Trump with a commanding lead with 53% support of Iowa Republicans. Following Trump at a distant second is former U.N. Ambassador with roughly 18% support, then DeSantis close behind at 15.5% followed by Ramaswamy with 6.5%. 

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said that she is the only candidate that would beat President Joe Biden by double digits and initiate change, “all the way down to school boards.”

“Every one of those polls and against Biden, I beat him by double digits, by 17 points,” Haley said. “That’s bigger than the presidency, the House and the Senate. That’s governorships. That’s all the way down to school boards.”

“If you win by double digits going into D.C.-that’s a mandate,” Haley said. “A mandate to get our economy back on track and stop this wasteful spending, a mandate to get our kids reading again and go back to the basics when it comes to education, a mandate to secure our borders.”

“No more excuses,” Haley said.

HALEY CANCELS IN-PERSON CAMPAIGN STOPS, ALL BUT TWO DESANTIS EVENTS ALSO SCRAPPED DUE TO IOWA BLIZZARD

Haley said that while she believes that former President Trump “was the right president at the right time,” he barely beats Biden “on a good day.”

“I think President Trump was the right president at the right time. I agree with a lot of his policies, but rightly or wrongly, chaos follows him…” Haley said. 

“And if you look at these general election polls right now and look at the head to head against Biden, look at any of them, Ron DeSantis doesn’t beat Biden,” Haley said. “Trump on a good day, might be up by two, but it’s head-to-head. It’ll be a nail biter of an election.”

The two-term South Carolina governor who later served as ambassador to the United Nations in the Trump administration argued that she is the only candidate that beats Biden by double digits.

HALEY DIDN’T ASK CHRISTIE FOR HIS ENDORSEMENT IN 2024 RACE BUT SPOKE WITH HIM AFTER HOT MIC DISS

“In order to have that, it’s going to take a lot of courage,” Haley said. “Don’t complain about what happens in a general election if you don’t participate in this caucus. It matters.”

A new poll, released Thursday, suggested that Haley had moved past Florida Govenor Ron DeSantis for a distant second place behind former President Trump.

According to a Suffolk University survey of 500 Iowa voters likely to participate in Monday’s GOP presidential caucuses, Trump stands at 54% support, with Haley at 20% and DeSantis at 13%.

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The poll was conducted from Jan. 6-10, when Haley and DeSantis faced off in a primetime debate in Iowa, while Trump simultaneously took part in a Fox News town hall.

Nikki Haley’s campaign office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gained 50 new endorsements from pastors and faith leaders across Iowa, bringing him to over 150 total endorsements from faith leaders in the final days before the Iowa caucuses.

DeSantis’ campaign confirmed to Fox News Digital that the 50 new endorsers plan to caucus for him on Monday.

Pastors pointed to DeSantis’ “unwavering faith” and his track record of defending religious liberty in Florida.

“Other candidates talk, but Ron DeSantis is a true man of unwavering faith and defender of religious liberty who we can trust to unite our nation and revive America,” Pastor Jeff Moes of Sunnybrook Community Church said. “I will be honored to support him on caucus night and encourage my fellow Iowans to do the same.” 

HALEY CANCELS IN-PERSON CAMPAIGN STOPS, ALL BUT TWO DESANTIS EVENTS ALSO SCRAPPED DUE TO IOWA BLIZZARD

Others pointed to his “Christian worldview” for why they are backing the Florida governor.

“I believe that Ron DeSantis is a political candidate whose core convictions are based upon principles of faith and a Christian worldview,” Pastor AJ Potter of Pleasantville Baptist Church said. “He has earned my respect and my full support for the upcoming caucus this Monday.”

The 50 additional endorsements to DeSantis come after his campaign turned its attention to appealing to evangelical voters.

HALEY PULLS AHEAD OF DESANTIS IN BATTLE FOR DISTANT 2ND PLACE BEHIND TRUMP IN NEW IOWA POLL

In September, DeSantis launched his Faith and Family Coalition, which focused on his promise to “defend religious freedom, allow people of faith to flourish and advance the culture of life.”

In November, influential evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats endorsed DeSantis and has been campaigning regularly for him.

Vander Plaats, president and CEO of The Family Leader organization, has long played a vital role in a state where evangelical voters play an outsized role in Republican politics. 

Vander Plaats backed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in 2008, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania in 2012, and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in 2016 – all three of whom went on to win the Iowa caucuses, but failed to capture the GOP presidential nomination.

A new poll, released Thursday, suggested that former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley had moved past DeSantis for a distant second place behind former President Trump.

According to a Suffolk University survey of 500 Iowa voters likely to participate in Monday’s GOP presidential caucuses, Trump stands at 54% support, with Haley at 20% and DeSantis at 13%.

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The poll was conducted from Jan. 6-10, when Haley and DeSantis faced off in a primetime debate in Iowa, while Trump simultaneously took part in a Fox News town hall.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

President Biden spoke to small businesses Friday in and around the Philadelphia suburb of Allentown, which the White House said is experiencing an “economic comeback,” as he touts his “Bidenomics” agenda in an effort to shore up his record on the economy. 

Biden’s pitch Friday was that he’s been better for small businesses than former President Donald Trump, a billionaire, real estate magnate and reality television host who won the presidency in 2016 on the premise that he knows how to grow the economy.

“My name is Joe Biden and I work for the governor and the senator,” the president said as he stepped into the Nowhere Coffee Co. in Emmaus, Pennsylvania along with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania. Biden ordered what appeared to be a mango smoothie. 

AMERICANS DESCRIBE STRUGGLES TO AFFORD FOOD WHILE BIDEN TOUTS STRONG ECONOMY: ‘I AM HONESTLY SCARED’

During a later stop at a firefighter training center in Allentown, Biden said people were beginning to feel positive about the economy, particularly inflation, which has receded from its June 2002 high of 9.1% to 3.4%. 

“If you notice, they’re feeling much better about how the economy is doing,” Biden said in response to a reporter’s question. “What we haven’t done is letting them know exactly who got it changed. … Everybody’s doing better and they believe it. They know it. And it’s just beginning to sink in.”

The president has repeatedly boasted about the economy amid inflation and rising interest rates that have been a barrier for many potential first-time home buyers. 

Under Biden, unemployment in Allentown sits at 3.9% and has reached a 20-year-low, according to figures provided to Fox News Digital by the White House. In addition, 32,000 jobs were added in the region and new business applications grew by more than 30% in 2022. 

BIDEN SAYS AUSTIN HAD LAPSE IN JUDGMENT FOLLOWING HOSPITALIZATION DEBACLE, SAY HE STILL HAS CONFIDENCE IN HIM

But the economic recovery touted by the White House stands in stark contrast to recent announcements of layoffs at some of the country’s most influential institutions in the banking, tech and business sectors. Citigroup plans to let go of 20,000 employees over the next two years, CFO Mark Mason said Friday.

A few hundred employees working on Google’s voice assistant unit and another few hundred people working on the augmented reality hardware team will also be let go. Amazon plans to layoff hundreds of workers by the end of the week at its Prime Video, MGM Studio and Twitch divisions.

Trump and a slew of Republican presidential contenders have hammered Biden’s record on the economy. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Nikki Haley said many Americans are still feeling the pinch of the increasing costs for everyday items. 

“Biden can say the economy is great all day long, but everybody knows that’s not true when they go to the grocery store and the gas station, or when they pay their mortgage and insurance,” Haley said. “Biden’s runaway spending is hurting American families. We need to stop the borrowing, stop the debt, and cut up the credit cards. But first, we have to retire Joe Biden from the White House.”

Fox News Digital reached out to other GOP presidential contenders for comment. 

Following the November jobs report released in early December, Biden boasted his administration had created “over 14 million jobs.” 

A Fox News poll released last month revealed only 14% of respondents said they were helped by Biden’s economic policies.

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Earlier this month, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Americans needed to give Biden’s economic policies more “time” to take effect as voters remain sour on the president.

“We get that, so it’s going to take a little bit of time for folks to feel what the ‘Bidenomics’ has been able to do,” she told MSNBC host Willie Geist. That’s not something that I’m saying. That’s something that economists have said, right? It takes a little bit of time. But it doesn’t mean, it doesn’t mean that the president is not going to continue to work.”

The Associated Press and Fox News Digital’s Hanna Panreck and Dana Blanton contributed to this report.