NationalWatch

South Carolina Republican state Rep. Mark Smith launched a bid for U.S. Congress.

He is running for the seat in the Palmetto State’s 1st Congressional District, which is currently occupied by U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, who is running for governor.

FIRST ON FOX: REPUBLICAN FIREBRAND NANCY MACE LAUNCHES BID FOR SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR

Mace launched a gubernatorial bid earlier this month, leaving her House seat up for grabs in the 2026 election.

“In the State House, I fought for the largest tax cut in South Carolina history, backed the blue, cracked down on illegal immigration, and defended our values without apology,” Smith declared in a Thursday post on X.

Smith has served in the state House of Representatives since late 2020. 

“In South Carolina’s 1st District, we need a proven conservative leader who will fight for President Trump’s America First agenda and deliver results — not drama,” he said in the X post.

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“The Lowcountry needs a fighter who will stand with President Trump and puts South Carolina first. That’s exactly what I’ll do in Washington,” he asserted.

EXCLUSIVE: Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner wants to stop “the cycle of government dependency” for homelessness following President Donald Trump’s order for a federal takeover of Washington, D.C.

“President Trump is the law-and-order President and now he is taking necessary action to restore law and order to our nation’s capital,” Turner said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. “Americans who live and work in D.C., and families touring the district, should be able to walk the streets without fear of getting mugged or gunned down.”

“Years of failed policies and weak leadership in the district have led to chaos, crime, violence, and homelessness. President Trump is bringing back peace and stability for hardworking, law-abiding Americans,” the secretary continued.

TRUMP VOWS TO MAKE DC ‘SAFER’ AND ‘BEAUTIFUL’ AS CAPITAL BATTLES CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS

“As part of this vision, HUD is committed to bringing back order by ending the cycle of government dependency that has enabled perpetual homelessness. Helping our nation’s most vulnerable starts with giving them the tools they need to achieve self-sufficiency, not endless government handouts,” he added.

In a post earlier this week, Turner noted that “crime halts revitalization in its tracks.”

A major part of the federal government’s crackdown in the city is clearing out homeless encampments on land throughout Washington, D.C., that falls under the National Park Service’s purview.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt explained in a briefing on Tuesday that the options are for people to agree to get assistance, or face time behind bars.

“Seventy homeless encampments have been removed by the U.S. Park Police,” Leavitt said.

I SUPPORT TRUMP TAKING CONTROL OF DC POLICE — THE CONSTITUTION IS ON HIS SIDE

“There are only two homeless encampments remaining in D.C. federal parks under the National Park Service’s jurisdiction, and the removal of those two remaining camps is scheduled for this week,” she added.

Meanwhile, there’s been a noticeable increase in federal officers around the capital city in recent days amid the hotly debated effort to curb crime in the area. While many Republicans and others have praised the move, many Democrats have said it’s an overstep in authority.

Mayor Muriel Bowser has said that juvenile disorder has been an issue, but has also criticized the federal takeover method.

“This is a time where community needs to jump in. We all need to, to do what we can in our space, in our lane, to protect our city and to protect our autonomy, to protect our home rule, and get to the other side of this guy, and make sure we elect a Democratic House so that we have a backstop to this authoritarian push,” Bowser said during town hall on Tuesday, which was livestreamed on X.

DC MAYOR REVERSES COURSE ON TRUMP INTERVENTION, DOWNPLAYS CITY CRIME

“You’ve heard me talking about youth a lot in the last several months, especially youth who are participating in really destructive, disruptive behavior with these kind of youth takeovers,” the mayor also said this week. “Some of them are our kids. Some of them are coming across the region to descend on places like the Navy Yard. So parents — this is not the first time you’ve heard me say this — so parents, you really need to know where your kids are. I think we really have some kids that are, you know, not criminals, but they are getting together in big groups and causing some really — they’re causing destruction.”

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The D.C. Police Union backed the Trump administration’s latest actions, saying it could serve as a critical turning point for the city on crime.

“Last night, DC suffered the grave milestone of its 100th homicide for 2025. Let’s hope this federal intervention leads to real change to the laws in DC that allow this to happen year after year,” the group posted on August 12.

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

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order on Thursday to slap down D.C. Metropolitan Police Department sanctuary policies and place Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terrence Cole in charge of the department as emergency police commissioner —  but D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser pushed back, highlighting a letter in which District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb opined that the order from Bondi “is unlawful.”

“In reference to the U.S. Attorney General’s order, there is no statute that conveys the District’s personnel authority to a federal official,” Bowser said in a social media post.

Bowser included a letter from Schwalb to MPD Police Chief Pamela Smith, in which the D.C. attorney general said that, in his view, the order from Bondi “is unlawful” and that Smith is “not legally obligated to follow it.”

AG BONDI STRIPS POWER FROM DC POLICE CHIEF, RESCINDS SANCTUARY CITY PROTECTIONS IN CRIME CRACKDOWN OPERATION

In her order, Bondi declared that police leadership “must receive approval from Commissioner Cole before issuing any further directives to the MPD.”

Bondi rescinded an executive order that was just issued on Thursday by the police chief. 

She also suspended parts of two general orders “until further notice,” and directed the MPD “to enforce, to the maximum extent permissible by law, section 22-1307, District of Columbia Code, and all District of Columbia municipal regulations pertaining to the unlawful occupancy of public spaces.”

‘DEFEND THE HOMELAND’: DHS UNVEILS STRIKING NEW ICE FLEET TO BOOST RECRUITMENT, VISIBILITY

The showdown between the two attorneys general comes as President Donald Trump seeks to crack down on crime in the nation’s capital. 

This week he issued an executive order that declared “the Mayor of the District of Columbia (Mayor) shall provide the services of the Metropolitan Police force for Federal purposes for the maximum period permitted under section 740 of the Home Rule Act.”

WATCH: NATIONAL GUARD HUMVEES, ROUGHLY 30 TROOPS STAND GUARD OUTSIDE DC’S UNION STATION AMID POLICE TAKEOVER

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But in the letter to the D.C. police chief, Schwalb asserted that Section 740 of the Home Rule Act “does not authorize the President, or his delegee, to remove or replace the Chief of Police; to alter the chain of command within MPD; to demand services directly from you, MPD, or anyone other than the Mayor; to rescind or suspend MPD orders or directives; or to set the general enforcement priorities of MPD or otherwise determine how the District pursues purely local law enforcement. 

“The Bondi Order is, therefore, ultra vires,” he declared.

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass lashed out Thursday against federal authorities, calling them a source of “disorder” in the city after agents were spotted patrolling outside a museum where California Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a press conference to address the state’s plan to redraw congressional maps. 

Bass showed up in the city’s Little Tokyo neighborhood, where U.S. Border Patrol agents were present outside the event at the Japanese American National Museum and made at least one arrest.

“Donald Trump, you think it’s coincidental? Donald Trump and his minions, Tom Homan, tough guy, decided coincidentally or not, that this was a location to advance ICE arrests,” Newsom said about the operations outside the press conference. “I think it’s pretty sick and pathetic.”

LA MAYOR BASS PROVIDES CASH PAYMENTS TO ILLEGALS, ISSUES ORDER TO THWART IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT

Bass, who has harshly criticized the Trump administration for conducting raids to arrest illegal immigrants in the city, showed up and questioned the timing of the operation. 

“There is no way this was a coincidence. This was widely publicized that the governor and many of our other elected officials were having a press conference here to talk about redistricting, and they decided they were going to come and thumb their nose in front of the governor’s face,” a charged-up Bass said, calling it a “provacative act.”

“They’re talking about disorder in Los Angeles, and they are the source of the disorder,” she added. “This is an administration, this is a Customs and Border Patrol that has gone amok.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The White House cited sweeps in California where migrant children were rescued, as well as the arrests of migrants with criminal records. 

“If Karen Bass and Gavin Newscum want to find the source of California’s dysfunction, they should look in the mirror,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. “Despite Bass’s and Newscum’s best efforts to protect dangerous criminal illegal aliens, the Trump Administration is fulfilling our promise to get the worst of the worst out of American communities.”

“Recent successful operations in California include rescuing 10 migrant kids who were likely victims of human trafficking, arresting heinous illegal alien rapists, and arresting illegal gang members,” she added. “If Newscum and Bass had their way, these kids would still be victims and these criminal illegals would still be in California communities.”

LA MAYOR RIPPED FOR INTERFERING WITH ICE RAID AT CRIME-RIDDEN LOCAL PARK: ‘FULL OF S—‘

Bill Essayli, the acting U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, which covers Los Angeles, responded to Bass’ comment on social media. 

“The Mayor and other California officials are under the false impression that they are an actual sanctuary from federal law,” he wrote on X. “No person or state is above the law. Federal agents will operate anywhere and anytime within the United States.”

The Trump administration has drawn the ire of Bass and Newsom for ongoing raids in and around Los Angeles in an effort to catch and deport illegal immigrants with criminal records. 

In July, Bass showed up at the city’s troubled MacArthur Park when federal agents conducted a sweep of illegal immigrants, calling it “outrageous” and “un-American.”

“Our law enforcement operations are about enforcing the law — not about Gavin Newsom,” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital in a statement. “CBP patrols all areas of Los Angeles every day with over 40 teams on the ground to make LA safe.”

Gregory Bovino, the chief patrol agent for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) El Centro sector, said Thursday’s operation was about public safety. 

“Los Angeles is a safer place. Since we won’t have politicians that will do that, we do that ourselves,” Bovino told Fox News. “So, that’s why we’re here today, as you can see, already making it a safer place. We’re glad to be here. Not going anywhere.”

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Thursday’s press conference was centered on the battle over congressional redistricting ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Newsom and fellow Democrats unveiled their game plan to counter a push by President Donald Trump and Republicans to create up to five GOP-friendly congressional districts in Texas at the expense of Democrat-controlled seats.

“Today is liberation day in the state of California,” the governor said. “Donald Trump, you have poked the bear, and we will punch back.”

BRONX, NY – New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani said it will be possible for a “partnership” between the city and grocery store and bodega owners, despite his plan to open five city-run grocery stores if elected mayor this November.

“What do you say to the grocery-store owners who are concerned that this could create a ricochet effect, if there are more and more city-owned grocery stores in the city?” Fox News Digital asked Mamdani at an anti-Trump event in the Bronx on Thursday afternoon. 

“I am interested in working with each and every New Yorker, and I’ve actually spoken with a number of grocery store owners and made clear to them that I both recognize and I appreciate the work that they have done. The fact is that they are a critical part of our communities,” Mamdani replied. 

Mamdani told Fox News Digital that a majority of grocery stores in New York City are family-owned, as he expressed gratitude to those families for investing in New York City, particularly in the 1970s, when he said large retailers left, but these small-business owners stayed because “they believed in this city.”

SOCIALIST MAMDANI’S SUPERMARKET PLAN WOULD BE ‘BULLET TO THE HEART’ OF BLUE-COLLAR AMERICA, LAWMAKER WARNS

“There’s so much partnership that we can still offer those same stores in assisting them on the skyrocketing rents that they are facing, the questions of insurance, so much of that which creates instability in their business model, while also ensuring we’re using every tool at our disposal to create a more affordable city for New Yorkers,” Mamdani said. 

NYC OFFICIAL WARNS BUSINESSES WILL FLEE ‘IN DROVES’ IF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CANDIDATE WINS MAYORAL RACE

Like many of his progressive policies, Mamdani’s plan to open city-run grocery stores if elected mayor of New York City has raised some eyebrows about its feasibility. 

But Mamdani explained on Thursday, “It’s not in opposition to grocery store owners or bodega owners. This is something that can together be actually used to increase competitiveness, as we’ve seen public options do so in the past.”

Like President Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential election, Mamdani has made affordability the central theme of his campaign. One way Mamdani is seeking to lower prices for New Yorkers is by opening one city-owned grocery store in each of the five boroughs. 

“As Mayor, Zohran will create a network of city-owned grocery stores focused on keeping prices low, not making a profit. Without having to pay rent or property taxes, they will reduce overhead and pass on savings to shoppers,” according to Mamdani’s campaign website. 

The Mamdani campaign said the city-run grocery stores will “buy and sell at wholesale prices, centralize warehousing and distribution, and partner with local neighborhoods on products and sourcing.”

The 33-year-old mayoral hopeful said it’s time to redirect public money to create a real “public option.”

Mamdani told Fox News Digital on Thursday that his plan “is part of a vision of a public option for produce, an understanding that for far too many New Yorkers, groceries are out of reach, and the importance in city government of reasonable policy experimentation.”

He said New Yorkers deserve the same access to produce as they do “fast food restaurants just around the corner.”

Economists and Wall Street executives sounded the alarm on Mamdani’s plan in interviews with Fox News Digital soon after his Democratic primary victory. 

John Catsimatidis, owner of the Gristedes supermarket chain, has largely criticized Mamdani’s city-run grocery store idea, arguing it would “hurt New York.”

“If the city of New York is going socialist, I will definitely close, or sell, or move or franchise the Gristedes locations,” Catsimatidis told Fox Business in an interview in June. 

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And Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio – whose family owns and operates Rulli Brothers, a small chain of two grocery stores in the Youngstown, Ohio, area – echoed Catsimatidis’ concern in an interview with Fox News Digital last month. 

“This will be a bullet into the heart of the U.S. grocery industry, if this caught on,” Rulli said. 

Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a two-page order on Thursday rescinding illegal immigration protections in Washington, D.C., and naming an “emergency police commissioner” for the city’s Metropolitan Police Department.

Bondi’s order, titled “Restoring Safety and Security to the District of Columbia,” mostly took aim at sanctuary city policies within the nation’s capital, rescinding any order that limits how Metropolitan police officers can handle interactions and incidents with illegal immigrants.

She also stripped power from Metro Police Chief Pamela Smith by naming Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terry Cole as the department’s “emergency police commissioner,” granting him all the “powers and duties vested” in the position.

CAPITOL HILL PREPARES FOR HIGH-STAKES BATTLE OVER TRUMP CRIME PACKAGE, DC POLICE AUTHORITY

Cole has the ability to issue general orders, executive orders and written directives affecting all members of the department, and existing department leadership must receive his approval before issuing directives of their own.

Bondi also explicitly rescinded three orders issued by the Metro police within the past two years related to illegal immigration – the most recent one being an executive order issued by Smith earlier on Thursday limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

While Smith’s order stated that Metro officers could now assist in “sharing information about persons not in MPD custody” and provide “transportation for federal immigration agency employees and detained subjects,” it prohibited personnel from making “any inquiry through any database solely for the purpose of inquiring about” immigration status.

“Members shall not arrest individuals based solely on federal immigration warrants or detainers as long as there is no additional criminal warrant or underlying offense for which the individual is subject to arrest,” the order stated.

DC VIOLENCE HAS GROWN FAR MORE DEADLY, DESPITE DEMS CLAIMING 30-YEAR LOW

Bondi rescinded that order hours later. She also suspended a June 2024 general order limiting inquiries into immigration status and an October 2023 general order preventing arrests solely for federal immigration warrants.

“To the extent that provisions in this order conflict with any existing MPD directives, those directives are hereby rescinded,” Bondi concluded in her order on Thursday.

The order comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Monday declaring a crime emergency in the nation’s capital and announcing a federal takeover of the police department.

Since then, federal law enforcement and the National Guard have been visible throughout the district. On Wednesday night alone, numerous agencies arrested 45 people – 29 of them illegal immigrants – as part of the major crime crackdown.

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“Residents of the District of Columbia, the thousands of Americans who commute into the District for work every day, and the millions of tourists from all over the world who visit our nation’s capital have a right to feel safe and to be free from the scourge of violent crime,” Bondi’s order stated.

A federal judge ordered the Department of Health and Human Services to stop providing access to Medicaid enrollees’ personal data, including their home addresses, to immigration officials.

District Judge Vince Chhabria, an Obama appointee, granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Department of Homeland Security from using Medicaid data obtained from 20 states that filed a lawsuit to stop the data sharing.

The order, handed down Tuesday, blocks HHS from sharing data on Medicaid enrollees in these states with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the purpose of targeting migrants for deportation.

“Using CMS data for immigration enforcement threatens to significantly disrupt the operation of Medicaid—a program that Congress has deemed critical for the provision of health coverage to the nation’s most vulnerable residents,” Chhabria wrote.

CALIFORNIA SUES TRUMP ADMIN AGAIN, THIS TIME OVER MEDICAID DATA TRANSFER TO DHS

The judge wrote that while there is nothing “categorically unlawful” about DHS collecting data from other agencies for immigration enforcement purposes, ICE has had a policy against using Medicaid data for that reason for 12 years.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has also long maintained a policy of using patients’ personal information only to run its healthcare programs.

“Given these policies, and given that the various players in the Medicaid system have relied on them, it was incumbent upon the agencies to carry out a reasoned decision-making process before changing them,” Chhabria wrote, adding: “The record in this case strongly suggests that no such process occurred.” 

Chhabria said the preliminary injunction will remain in effect until HHS provides “reasoned decision-making” for its new policy of sharing data with immigration officials or until litigation concludes.

The disclosure of Medicaid data is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to give DHS more data to help locate migrants and carry out the president’s mass deportation plan. In May, a federal judge refused to block the Internal Revenue Service from sharing immigrants’ tax data with ICE officials.

BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE HALTS TRUMP HHS OVERHAUL AFTER DEMOCRAT-LED LAWSUIT

“The Trump Administration’s move to use Medicaid data for immigration enforcement upended longstanding policy protections without notice or consideration for the consequences,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “As the President continues to overstep his authority in his inhumane anti-immigrant crusade, this is a clear reminder that he remains bound by the law.”

HHS first provided the personal information of millions of Medicaid enrollees in June, prompting a lawsuit from the 20 states to block the new policy.

In July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services entered into a new agreement that allowed DHS to have daily access to the personal data of the country’s 79 million Medicaid enrollees, including their Social Security numbers and home address.

Neither agreement was announced publicly. HHS has insisted that its agreement with DHS is legal.

Medicaid officials had attempted to block the data transfer, but they were overruled by top advisers to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Immigrants – both legal and illegal – are not authorized to enroll in the Medicaid program, which offers nearly free coverage for health services. However, under federal law, all states must offer emergency Medicaid, a temporary coverage that only covers lifesaving services in emergency rooms to anyone, including people who are not U.S. citizens.

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“Protecting people’s private health information is vitally important,” Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown said in a statement. “And everyone should be able to seek medical care without fear of what the federal government may do with that information.”

The sharing of Medicaid enrollees’ personal data could cause concern among people seeking emergency medical help for themselves or their children, immigration advocates have warned.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

It was April, 2007. The House of Representatives was debating a bill to increase the size of the House from 435 to 437 Members. Utah would score an extra seat. And the District of Columbia would secure a seat on the House floor.

Washington, DC isn’t a state. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., has served as the city’s non-voting delegate to Congress since 1991. And even though she couldn’t cast a ballot on that bill for DC, Norton was in the middle of the debate which teed up the bill.

Then-Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif., asked Norton if “the gentlelady would yield” during her floor remarks, trying to get in a word edgewise.

Dreier stood a better chance at getting a harried driver to yield to him on an entrance ramp to the 405 than Norton granting him a moment to interrupt her.

FEDERAL OVERSIGHT IN WASHINGTON – A SPECIAL CASE AS OLD AS AMERICA ITSELF

“I will not yield, sir!” yelled Norton, staring at Dreier across the House chamber. “The District of Columbia has spent 206 years yielding (to) the people who would deny them the vote! I yield you no ground! Not during my time! You have had your say! And your say has been that you think that the people who live in your capital are not entitled to a vote in their House! Shame on you!”

The excoriation of Dreier was signature Norton. Forceful. Fearless. Passionate.

Whether you endorse her politics or not, Norton has been the loudest voice for the people of Washington, DC for a staggering 18 terms.

But the 88-year-old Norton is now silent. Perhaps during the most perilous period for self-governance in the District of Columbia in five decades.

President Trump deployed hundreds of National Guard troops and federal agents into the streets of Washington this week – effectively bigfooting local control of the police.

Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) has been outspoken against the intervention.

“The numbers just don’t justify the action. We have seen a precipitous lessening of crime in the city,” said Bowser. “Violent crime especially.”

DC MAYOR TRAVELS TO MARTHA’S VINEYARD AMID TRUMP’S FEDERALIZED CRIME CRACKDOWN OF CITY

DC lacks senators since it isn’t a state. So other local lawmakers piped up.

“I’m very concerned. The President is showing all of his authoritarian tendencies,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. “We have this decision by the President to essentially federalize the DC police at a time when actually crime in the District of Columbia is at a 30 year low last year.”

Even Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D) took up DC’s plight.

“The President isn’t really interested in stopping and solving this public health issue known as gun violence. He’s pointing a finger at Baltimore and DC and other cities,” said Scott. “If the President were concerned and really wanted to work with cities to do that, he would bolster the strategies that are already working on the ground instead of trying to militarize police and law enforcement where they do not need to be.”

But Norton’s largely invisible.

Her office posted a boilerplate statement on X Wednesday. It declared that “President Trump made a grave error on several levels by taking over MPD and deploying the DC National Guard without DC’s agreement.” Norton argued that the president “unintentionally made the strongest possible case for #DCStatehood.”

An accompanying photo of Norton wasn’t even current. It depicted Norton in a winter shawl – hardly seasonal for the steamy conditions baking Washington in mid-August.

TRUMP AUTHORIZED TO CONTROL DC POLICE INDEFINITELY UNDER HOUSE GOP PROPOSAL

Norton’s office turned down multiple requests for an interview this week. Norton’s staff also declined a request for an interview after a gunman murdered Capitol Hill intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym – a student at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst after his death earlier this summer. However, an aide did provide a statement.

Norton last spoke on the House floor in mid-June.

“Residents have no voting representation in Congress and Congress has the ultimate say on local DC matters,” said Norton at the time.

Questions started to swirl earlier this year about whether Norton was up to the job.

A reporter asked DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) in June if the Delegate should run for a 19th term next year.

“Congresswoman Norton has been a good representative of the District. She has been a warrior on the Hill,” said Mendelson.

Bowser also ducked directly answering a question about Norton back in the spring.

“I am really focused on making sure our city is strong politically and stable economically and I think there is time for talking about elections and I don’t choose to do that right now,” said Bowser.

ANTI-TRUMP CNN COMMENTATOR RIPS ‘PROFOUNDLY STUPID’ DEMOCRATS OVER DC CRIME RESPONSE

In July, a reporter didn’t mention Norton by name when they asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., if “every member of the Democratic caucus was fit mentally and physically to serve?”

The inquiry came after the deaths of late Reps. Sylvester Turner, D-Tex., Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., and Gerry Connolly, D-Va. And this conversation matures as House Republicans probe the cognitive state of former President Biden.

“That’s not a discussion that we have had at the moment with individual Members who are going to make decisions about their future,” answered Jeffries. “And it’s my expectation that those decisions will be based on what Members conclude is in the best interests of the communities that they have been privileged to represent – as well as themselves, their families, and the values that they hold dear that we are in the middle of defending on behalf of the American people.”

The issue of elderly politicians continues to vex the Democratic Party.

Kinny Zalesne is a former Justice Department official running for Norton’s seat in 2026.

“If I were the Delegate, I would be on TV 24/7, making the case for DC and telling the truth about what’s happening in our city and the truth about the administration’s overreach,” Zalesne told Fox.

In June, Norton told a clutch of Capitol Hill reporters that she intended to run again next year. But within a couple of hours, her office dialed that back, saying Norton hadn’t finalized her decision.

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The voters of DC will finalize their decision in the midterm elections. The reasons for Norton’s relative quiet only spur conjecture and speculation – fueled by what happened with former President Biden other Democratic lawmakers.

DC doesn’t have a vote on the House floor. But it does have a voice in Congress. And right now, the silence is deafening.

The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to block Mississippi from enforcing a law that would block minors from using nine popular social media sites without their parents’ consent—delivering a near-term blow to the tech industry group that had sought emergency intervention from the high court.

Justices on the high court did not elaborate on their reasons for rejecting the emergency appeal, filed by industry group NetChoice—a common practice when the Supreme Court decides on an emergency appeal—and did not provide a vote count.

NeChoice had asked the high court to put the law on hold while the case continued to play out in the lower courts on its merits.

Only Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh gave any indication of his thinking in a three-paragraph concurring opinion, writing that, while he believes the law in question is “likely unconstitutional,” and that NetChoice “demonstrated it would likely succeed on the merits” of the case, he agreed with his colleagues in ruling that the group failed to meet the high bar required for emergency relief.

SCOTUS RULES ON NEARLY $2 BILLION IN FROZEN USAID PAYMENTS

The case will continue to play out in the lower courts, and is expected to make its way back to the Supreme Court for full consideration at a later date. 

At issue is Mississippi’s sweeping social media law, known as H.B. 1126. The law, passed by the state in 2024, blocks young people from accessing popular social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Pinterest, and Reddit without express parental consent.

It also requires social media sites to take additional steps to verify the ages of users before allowing them to create accounts, and to “develop and implement a strategy” to shield young people from exposure to harmful material. 

Sites who fail to comply can be fined up to $10,000 per violation, and, in certain cases, could face criminal penalties. 

NetChoice quickly sued to block the law, arguing that it violated free speech protections under the First Amendment. 

U.S. District Judge Halil Suleyman Ozerden in June issued a preliminary injunction siding with NetChoice and temporarily blocking Mississippi from implementing its law.

While Judge Ozerden acknowledged the state may have a “compelling interest” in safeguarding minors online, he said Mississippi’s law involved “substantially more speech than is necessary for the state to accomplish its goals,” and ran afoul of the First Amendment.

In July, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals voted unanimously and without explanation to freeze the lower court injunction, allowing the law to take force—and prompting the emergency request for Supreme Court intervention.

LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS

In its emergency appeal to the high court, lawyers for NetChoice took aim at the lack of explanation from the lower court. 

“Neither NetChoice nor this Court can know why the Fifth Circuit believed this law satisfies the First Amendment’s stringent demands or deviated from the seven other decisions enjoining similar laws,” lawyers said in their appeal to the high court, arguing they would face “immediate, irreparable” injury should the law be allowed to go into effect.  

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The Supreme Court’s emergency decision comes as a handful of other states have moved to implement similar age-verification legislation— including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, and Utah.

NetChoice, for its part, has led similar lawsuits challenging social media legislation in other states such as Florida and Texas earlier this year. 

Smithsonian museums must represent the U.S. in a “fair” manner and portray both the good and the bad of American history, according to President Donald Trump. 

Trump made his comments after the White House sent a letter to the Smithsonian Tuesday unveiling plans to conduct a review of its museums and exhibits in preparation for the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026.

“We want the museums to treat our country fairly,” Trump told reporters Thursday. “We want their museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner, which is what many of them, not all of them, but many of them are doing.” 

WHITE HOUSE REVIEWING ALL SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM, EXHIBIT CONTENT BEFORE AMERICA 250 CELEBRATION IN 2026

“Our museums have an obligation to represent what happened in our country over the years. Good and bad,” Trump said. “But what happened over the years in an accurate way.” 

The Smithsonian told Fox News Digital it was reviewing the Trump administration’s letter and would work with the White House, Congress and its governing Board of Regents moving forward. 

“The Smithsonian’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research and the accurate, factual presentation of history,” the Smithsonian said in a statement. 

Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff, weighed in on the matter earlier Thursday, saying left-wing activists had “obscenely defaced” the museum. 

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“The Smithsonian is supposed to be a global symbol of American strength, culture and prestige,” Miller posted to X Thursday. “A place for families and children to celebrate American history and greatness. Instead, the exhibits have clearly been taken over by leftwing activists who have used the Smithsonian as yet one platform to endlessly bash America and rewrite / erase our magnificent story.

“These activists have obscenely defaced this beloved institution,” Miller added. “The Trump Administration will proudly and diligently restore the patriotic glory of America and ensure the Smithsonian is a place that once more inspires love and devotion to this nation, especially among our youngest citizens.”

The White House’s initial letter to the Smithsonian Tuesday said the review would evaluate social media, exhibition text and educational materials. This would be done to “assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals,” the letter said. 

“This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,” the letter said.

The review will focus on the following museums: the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

LIBERTY AND UNITY: WHAT AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY ASKS OF US TODAY

Trump has taken previous steps to alter what content is shown in the Smithsonian museums and signed an executive order in March that placed Vice President JD Vance in charge of overseeing the removal of programs or exhibits that “degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy.” 

Vance has already moved to shake things up at the Smithsonian. 

Artist Amy Sherald canceled an exhibit scheduled to arrive at the Smithsonian in September that included a portrait of a transgender Statue of Liberty at the National Portrait Gallery after Vance claimed the show featured woke and divisive content, Fox News Digital first reported. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The Department of Homeland Security debuted a fleet of newly branded Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles Thursday, one of the most visible public displays in the agency’s history. 

“We will have our country back,” DHS’s official X post says.

The high-profile launch, captured in a professionally produced rollout video on DHS’s X account, comes as the federal government intensifies law enforcement operations in Washington, D.C., under President Donald Trump’s recent crime crackdown.

The agency has traditionally been more discreet in its policing, with agents dressed in plain street clothes to conduct enforcement.

OVER 100K AMERICANS RUSH TO JOIN TRUMP’S MASSIVE ICE HIRING SPREE NATIONWIDE, DHS SAYS

The video, viewed nearly 200,000 times within hours, features close-up shots of the new fleet as it travels through the nation’s capital, passing landmarks, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol and the White House. 

Dark navy SUVs and pickup trucks are outfitted with red and gold striping, large gold “ICE” lettering on the sides, and the slogan “Defend the Homeland.” On the rear, a gold-embossed “President Donald J. Trump” is prominently displayed.

The rap track “TOES” by DaBaby is featured prominently in the background, including the lyric, “My heart so cold I think I’m done with ice (Uh, brr).” The video was shared via X with a recruitment link to JOIN.ICE.GOV.

TRUMP ADMIN UNLEASHES CRUCIAL RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN WITH MASSIVE BONUSES TO BOLSTER ICE RANKS

According to ICE’s recruitment website, new officers are offered competitive salaries, paid federal holidays and a full federal benefits package that includes health, dental, vision and life insurance, a retirement plan and a Thrift Savings Plan similar to a 401(k). Additional incentives can include tuition reimbursement, transportation subsidies, telework options and access to fitness centers.

The fleet rollout coincides with a surge in visible federal policing in the nation’s capital. President Trump has temporarily assumed control of the D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department for 30 days. DHS says ICE, along with agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and the National Guard, are reinforcing MPD patrols and manning city checkpoints.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s office released a fact sheet showing the rollout reflects broader enforcement gains in her first 200 days, including a reported 93% decline in border encounters, a near halt to illegal migration through Panama’s Darién Gap and more than 100,000 job applications to ICE since the “Defend the Homeland” campaign began. The department has also reopened the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement office and logged more than 352,000 arrests since January.

The House and Senate Homeland Security Committee Republican press offices did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The ICE union and agency spokespeople were also contacted.

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Public reaction to the rollout video on DHS’s X account was largely positive Thursday, with replies from veterans, law enforcement families and other supporters. “

Keep up the excellent work, thank you for protecting us,” one user wrote.

Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.

Lawmakers are gearing up for a crime bill from the White House as President Donald Trump’s crackdown on crime in Washington D.C. marches on.

Trump hinted that he would be sending a package to Congress in the near future on Wednesday geared toward his administration’s continued push to make the district a “beacon” for other blue cities, but gave little detail as to what he may want to see in the legislation.

REPUBLICANS READY TO SUPPORT TRUMP’S MOVE TO SKIRT CONGRESS IN DC CRIME CRACKDOWN

“We think the Democrats will not do anything to stop crime, but we think the Republicans will do it almost unanimously,” Trump said. “So we’re going to need a crime bill that we’re going to be putting in, and it’s going to pertain initially to D.C.”

He also noted that “we’re going to seek a relatively small amount of money” to fix potholes and generally spruce up the district.

Shortly after Trump’s announcement, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said that he had spoken with the president, Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House staff on “how Congress can help make Washington D.C. safe again.”

“At the direction of President Trump,” Bondi said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “This Department of Justice will continue to work with MPD, federal law enforcement and Congress to address the scourge of violent crime in Washington, D.C. and ensure the safety of all Americans visiting or living in our Nation’s capital.”

Graham noted that the White House was working on a package to send to him and Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., the chair of the Homeland Security appropriations subcommittee.

TOP HOUSE REPUBLICAN SAYS TRUMP ‘RIGHTLY’ TOOK OVER DC POLICE, DEMANDS BOWSER, OTHERS TESTIFY ON CRIME

“Together, we will try to shepherd the D.C. Security Fund through Congress to give President Trump the resources he will need to improve the safety and quality of life in our nation’s capital,” Graham said on X. “Every American should be behind this effort to make Washington D.C. clean and safe so that it can truly become the shining city on the hill.”

Whether the package would become a part of a spending bill, or be its own standalone supplemental funding package, is unclear, and when lawmakers would actually get their hands on a request is also up in the air.

The White House referred Fox News Digital back to the president’s prior comments on the bill. 

Lawmakers are not set to return to Washington until after Labor Day and will be met immediately by the fast-approaching deadline to fund the government on Sept. 30.

They’ll also have to deal with an expected request from Trump to extend his control of the D.C. police — the president has only 30 days unless Congress grants him an extension with a joint resolution.

TRUMP PREDICTS LITTLE PROGRESS IN POTENTIAL SHUTDOWN TALKS WITH ‘CRAZY’ SCHUMER, JEFFRIES

Republicans are broadly supportive of granting him more time to crack down on crime in the Capitol, but a joint resolution likely requires 60 votes in the Senate, and Senate Democrats are signaling that they won’t budge and allow Trump to further consolidate his grip on Washington.

Still, Trump suggested that he would trigger a national emergency declaration to circumvent Congress, which some congressional Republicans have already come out in support of.

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., declared “No f‑‑‑— way” during a podcast appearance when asked about an extension, and Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told Fox News Digital in a statement that Trump’s move to federalize Washington D.C. was “political theater.”

“He is doing nothing but creating chaos and ignoring the progress local officials in D.C. have made lowering crime,” Durbin said. “And now, he is saying he wants to side-step Congress to extend control of the MPD. There are currently no ‘special conditions of an emergency nature’ in D.C., which the President has to claim in order to take federal control of MPD under the Home Rule Act. This is unprecedented and nothing more than a power grab.”

As National Guard troops ramped up their presence in the nation’s capital on Thursday, about seven National Guard Humvees and other military vehicles, and around 25 to 30 troops, stood guard outside D.C.’s Union Station.   

President Donald Trump’s move to federalize parts of the District of Columbia’s police force began earlier in the week, but troops from the National Guard scaled up their presence Thursday, with several stationed around the National Mall, at metro stations, at Union Station, near a U.S. Park building in Anacostia, D.C., and other places around the nation’s capital.

As of Thursday, 800 National Guard members have been mobilized to Washington, D.C., according to the Defense Department. According to Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson, the troops are unarmed and are supporting other federal law enforcement agencies that have been called up to D.C. to quell the violence there. 

TRUMP’S FEDERAL CRIME OPERATION BRINGS 100 ARRESTS, 800 NATIONAL GUARD

“The scope of support may be adjusted based on the needs of our partners,” Wilson said. “This would be very similar to the [Los Angeles] mission, where we can temporarily detain someone and then turn them over to the law enforcement.”

At Union Station specifically, Fox News Digital counted around 25 to 30 National Guard personnel, all military police, four Humvees and three MATVs early Thursday evening.

Fox News Digital only saw riot batons carried by the troops.

DC TRAFFIC STOP REPORTING ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS A ‘GREAT STEP,’ TRUMP SAYS – OTHER BLUE CITIES COULD BE NEXT

The other federal law enforcement agencies that the National Guard troops are supporting include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Secret Service.

Operations aimed at reducing crime in the nation’s capital were initially focused on night patrols, but on Thursday they are going to begin patrolling 24/7. 

The increased law enforcement presence in D.C. has led to protesters taking the streets, including a handful seen at Union Station Thursday.

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On Wednesday night, local media reports indicated around 100 protesters in one Northwest Washington, D.C. neighborhood, where police had set up a vehicle checkpoint, came out to challenge the increased police presence.

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

Former President Barack Obama praised a group of Texas Democratic lawmakers for fleeing their state to stop a vote on a redistricting bill, calling their actions “inspiring,” according to reporting.

Texas state Rep. Gene Wu, who is chairman of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, posted on X on Thursday, thanking the former president for meeting with the lawmakers via Zoom.

Wu said the Democrats were “encouraged” by Obama’s words and “remain committed to fighting for democracy, in Texas & across the country.”

ABC News reported that an Obama spokesperson confirmed the meeting, saying he “lauded their fight against the Republican efforts to enact an even more egregious gerrymander in Texas ahead of the midterms.”

OBAMA OFFICIAL SAYS DEMOCRATIC PARTY ‘AFRAID OF ITS OWN FUTURE,’ WANTS IT TO EMBRACE MAMDANI STRATEGY

The spokesperson told the outlet that Obama “made clear that they are part of a bigger effort to protect free and fair elections and commended them for inspiring others with their actions.”

This comes amid a continued standoff between Texas Republicans and Democrats over an effort backed by President Donald Trump to pass a redistricting bill that would likely give the GOP five additional congressional seats. Over 50 Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives fled the state to deny the legislature the quorum necessary to pass the bill.

In response, Texas Republican leaders have filed legal action to compel the AWOL lawmakers to return and have also threatened to remove them from office if they continue refusing to participate in the legislative process.

Texas House Democrats released a statement on Thursday in which they announced they will only return to the state if the legislature agrees to adjourn without plans to meet again or if California introduces its own redistricting legislation to “neutralize” the GOP seats gained in Texas.

OBAMA LABELS TEXAS REDISTRICTING PUSH ‘A POWER GRAB THAT UNDERMINES OUR DEMOCRACY’

Obama has previously voiced solidarity with the Texas Democrats, saying in an Aug. 5 X post, “We can’t lose focus on what matters – right now, Republicans in Texas are trying to gerrymander district lines to unfairly win five seats in next year’s midterm elections. This is a power grab that undermines our democracy.”

Wu told ABC News that the Democrats were “especially excited” to have Obama address them via Zoom.

“Having President Obama speak with us and support us is proof that when Texas House Democrats stand up and fight back, we don’t stand alone — we have the support of Democrats at every level who understand that when Republicans attack voting rights in Texas, they’re attacking the foundation of our democracy everywhere,” Wu told the outlet.

He said that the meeting was held via Zoom because of “Republican threats.”

NEWSOM UNVEILS CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING EFFORT TO COUNTER TRUMP-BACKED PUSH IN TEXAS

“The fact that we have to meet President Obama from an undisclosed location and via Zoom because of Republican threats and surveillance only proves how desperate Abbott and his extremist allies have become,” Wu said. “They know their racial gerrymandering scheme is falling apart, so they’re resorting to intimidation tactics. But President Obama’s support shows the whole country is watching — and Texas House Democrats won’t be silenced by bullies.”

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On Thursday, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to counter the Texas redistricting plan by pushing to have his state redraw its districts to eliminate the Republican seats.  

In response, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, shot back that if California eliminates all its Republican districts, Texas should do the same, which would leave the GOP with a net gain.

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

President Donald Trump said a new directive allowing the Metropolitan Police Department to disclose information to federal immigration authorities about those they pull over at traffic stops is a step in the right direction — and signaled that other cities could also face a similar policy. 

The order, which Police Chief Pamela Smith approved Thursday, comes as Trump moved to federalize the nation’s capital’s police force and mobilize 800 National Guard troops to address crime in Washington. 

“What you’re saying is that it was a very positive thing,” Trump told reporters about the new order Thursday. “When they stop people, they find they’re illegal, they report them, they give them to us, etc., that’s a very positive thing.” 

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH VOWS TO BE ‘FORCE MULTIPLIERS’ OF DC POLICE

“I have heard that it just happened,” Trump said. “That’s a great step. That’s a great step if they’re doing that. Yeah. I think that’s going to happen all over the country. We want to stop crime. I think if the Democrats aren’t strong on this issue, they won’t be able to do it.” 

The order means that Metropolitan Police can share details about their interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. 

In addition to Trump, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem also hailed the new order a success earlier Thursday. 

“That means that as soon as they encounter somebody who is committing a crime, they will share that with ICE and we will be able to get those illegal criminals out of this country and we’ll make America safer,” Noem told Fox News Thursday.

TRUMP TAKES CONTROL OF METRO POLICE, DEPLOYS NATIONAL GUARD TO TAKE ON WASHINGTON CRIME

Now that the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington has been federalized, it remains under the authority of Attorney General Pam Bondi.

A temporary federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department is permitted under emergency circumstances. However, Trump’s move will likely be challenged in court over whether the situation in Washington qualifies as an emergency. 

National Guard troops started to arrive in Washington Wednesday. These troops are reserve forces that respond to state and federal operations, typically in accordance with orders from their state governments. 

Trump has deviated from the norm though, and mobilized National Guard troops from California to respond to immigration riots in June. By doing so, he bypassed California Gov. Gavin Newsom. 

TRUMP THREATENS TO FEDERALIZE DC AFTER EX-DOGE EMPLOYEE ‘BIG BALLS’ VIOLENTLY BEATEN

However, Washington is different because the federal government oversees the District of Columbia National Guard.

Meanwhile, Democrats on Capitol Hill have decried Trump’s attempt to federalize the police and bring in National Guard troops. 

“First, Donald Trump used the Marines and the National Guard to support his mass deportation agenda in Los Angeles,” Schiff posted on X Monday. “Now, he’s using similar tactics in D.C. like a tinpot dictator. Don’t look away. Don’t stay silent. If you do, don’t be surprised if it’s your city next.” 

U.S. Border Patrol agents had a strong presence outside an anti-Trump rally by California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in Los Angeles on Thursday. The agents made at least one arrest.

Newsom, who is rumored to have presidential aspirations and has become one of the most outspoken critics of President Donald Trump, held the event, which he labeled “Liberation Day,” to announce plans to respond to the GOP’s redistricting push in Texas.

In a social media post shortly before the rally, Newsom predicted that “Donald Trump and [Texas Governor] Greg Abbott are going to have a very bad day today.”

Video taken by local affiliate Fox 11 and obtained by Fox News showed what appeared to be over a dozen armed and masked Border Patrol agents just outside the rally. The agents could be seen leading a man away in handcuffs as onlookers shouted angrily.

TRUMP VS NEWSOM SHOWDOWN LANDS IN COURT WITH FAMILY TIES TO THE NATION’S HIGHEST BENCH

Speaking with Fox 11, Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino explained, “We’re here making Los Angeles a safer place.”

“Since we won’t have politicians who will do that, we do that ourselves. So, that’s why we’re here today. As you can see, already making it a safer place,” said Bovino.

The Border Patrol chief added, “We’re glad to be here, not going anywhere.”

Asked what his message to Newsom was, Bovino answered: “Again, we’re making Los Angeles a safer place, we’re going to continue to do that, and they can take that one to the bank and cash it.”

TRUMP BORDER WALL MATERIALS SOLD BY BIDEN MAY SOON FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO THE FEDS, AUCTIONEER CLAIMS

In response to the federal agents’ presence, Newsom’s office emailed Fox News Digital a statement in all-capital letters, “WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY WEAK LITTLE DONALD TRUMP, THE CRIMINAL PRESIDENT!”

During the event, Newsom’s press team posted on X that “TRUMP’S PRIVATE ARMY IS ILLEGALLY ON PRIVATE PROPERTY!!!!”

During his remarks, Newsom acknowledged the federal agents, saying, “Right outside at this exact moment are dozens and dozens of ICE agents.”

“Do you think it’s coincidental?” he remarked. “Donald Trump and his minions, Tom Homan, tough guy. Decided, coincidentally or not, that this was a location to advance ICE arrests. Indiscriminate? Perhaps. we’ll find out later.”

ICE ARRESTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH CHILD SEX CRIMES AFTER HIS RELEASE BY LOCAL POLICE DESPITE DETAINER

“Wake up, America. this is a serious moment. Wake up to what’s going on. Wake up to the fear, anxiety. Wake up to what’s happening. Not just here in Los Angeles, where we saw our streets militarized, where we saw our due process rights thrown out the window,” he said. “That’s Trump’s America. That’s the moment we’re living in. So, these are sober times.”

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Fox News Digital reached out to ICE and Border Patrol for comment but did not immediately receive a response. 

FIRST ON FOX: The National Border Patrol Council (NBPC), America’s largest union of border patrol officers, is endorsing former top Trump Department of Justice official Aaron Reitz to be the next attorney general of Texas.

This comes as current Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican and Trump ally, has declined to run for re-election, instead choosing to challenge GOP Sen. John Cornyn for the U.S. Senate.

Reitz is a former Marine who has also served on the staffs of Paxton and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. 

Fox News Digital broke the news in June that Reitz was resigning his high-ranking position with the Trump DOJ to run for attorney general of Texas, entering what he is calling a “fight for the soul of Texas.” 

TEXAS STATE SENATE PASSES NEW REPUBLICAN DRAWN CONGRESSIONAL MAP AS HOUSE DEMS REMAIN ON THE LAM

Until then, he was serving under U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy. 

Reitz’s campaign is now gaining new momentum with a key endorsement from the NBPC, a national group that represents nearly 20,000 Border Patrol agents and personnel.

In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, NBPC President Paul Perez called Reitz “a principled fighter with a deep sense of duty and an unwavering commitment to supporting the mission of Border Patrol agents.”

Perez said that Reitz “has had our backs time and again” throughout his career and that the NBPC is “confident Aaron will be a fierce and effective ally to defend every inch” of Texas’ over 1,200-mile-long southern border.

“As Border Patrol agents, we take pride in standing on the front lines of America’s security. As a Marine, Aaron understands that commitment,” said Perez.

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

Perez pointed to Reitz’s role as deputy attorney general for legal strategy under Paxton, saying he “led the legal fight against the Biden administration’s disastrous border policies—quarterbacking dozens of lawsuits challenging the deportation freeze, changes to the public-charge rule, ICE arrest restrictions, the rollback of Remain-in-Mexico, the termination of Title 42, halting border wall construction, the Central American Minors program, asylum, and parole authority.”

He said that later, as Cruz’s chief of staff, Reitz “drove key legislative initiatives to secure the border—from resuming border wall construction and criminalizing visa overstays, to defunding NGOs aiding illegal entry and reinforcing ICE and the Border Patrol.”

He also said that Reitz was “instrumental” in advancing the Justice for Jocelyn Act, a piece of legislation that would crack down on illegals being released under the Alternatives to Detention program following the killing of 12-year-old Houston girl Jocelyn Nungaray, who was murdered by an illegal released under the program.

“As President Trump’s head of the DOJ’s Office of Legal Policy,” Perez said that Reitz “continued his mission-focused work to defend America’s borders and sovereignty” by reversing Biden-era border policies, fighting against sanctuary jurisdictions and supporting operations to crack down on cartel networks.

In response, Reitz said he was “deeply honored” by the endorsement, calling it “a sacred trust from the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to defend our country’s sovereignty.”

TEXAS DEMOCRATS WHO FLED COULD FACE FELONY BRIBERY CHARGES, GOVERNOR SAYS

He vowed that the NBPC “will have no stronger ally than me in the Texas Attorney General’s Office,” which is one of the most powerful positions in Texas politics.

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He pledged to “use every tool available under Texas law” to “help secure the border and stand in solidarity with the U.S. Border Patrol.”

The Texas Primary Elections will be on March 3, 2026. Reitz is facing off against state Sen. Mayes Middleton, an oil executive and conservative Republican serving in the Texas Senate. Middleton is also running on a pro-Trump, “America first agenda,” advancing policies such as suing sanctuary jurisdictions, cracking down on crime and gender ideology and eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in the government.

This comes as the state of Texas is embroiled in a showdown between Republican and Democratic lawmakers over redistricting that has made national headlines. Following Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives fleeing the state to break quorum to foil the GOP’s redistricting plans, the attorney general has filed legal action to arrest the AWOL lawmakers and return them to Austin to resume voting.

New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani traveled uptown to the Bronx on Thursday for the fourth day of his “Five Boroughs Against Trump” tour, arguing that President Donald Trump’s administration is hurting small businesses. 

“We are here today on the fourth stop of our five borough tour, to speak about how Bronx sites can not afford the city that they call home, Mamdani said. “That is a struggle that many residents of the Bronx feel individually. It’s also a struggle that I know our small businesses are feeling at this moment. From 2020 to 2022, the population of the Bronx dropped by 6.3%. That’s more than any other borough in New York City. People are leaving this further, leaving this city because it’s too expensive. We are the most expensive city in the United States of America.”

Throughout the week, Mamdani has connected Trump to his leading competitor in the race, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who lost the Democratic primary to Mamdani in June and is now running as an independent candidate. 

The theme continued on Thursday as the Mamdani campaign visited Nohble, a small business in the Bronx, where he argued that both Trump and Cuomo have handed “tax breaks to billionaires and megacorporations” throughout their political careers. Meanwhile, Mamdani has made affordability the central message of his campaign. 

Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which narrowly passed Congress last month, has been widely celebrated by Republicans for extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and adding deductions on tipped wages and overtime, while reducing spending on Medicaid and clean energy and strengthening border security. 

MAMDANI TAKES AIM AT TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION POLICIES IN FIERY STATEN ISLAND SPEECH: ‘WE ARE FIGHTING TO KEEP NYC A SANCTUARY CITY’

But Democrats have been quick to claim that Trump’s megabill handed tax breaks to the wealthy while cutting benefits to the most vulnerable – a key Democratic message ahead of competitive midterm elections expected in 2026. 

MAMDANI ZINGS CUOMO IN RENT-STABILIZED HOUSING SPAT DURING ANTI-TRUMP TOUR STOP

While Republicans argue the bill only cuts waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), about 10 million more people will be uninsured by 2034 due to Trump’s mega-bill. 

As national Democrats slam Trump’s tax breaks, Mamdani has criticized Cuomo’s own record as governor, which includes offering $3 billion in tax breaks for the failed Amazon HQ2 deal in Queens, expanding $420 million-a-year film industry credits and launching “Tax-Free NY” zones to give businesses 10 years without state taxes.

Throughout the week, Mamdani has criticized Cuomo following The New York Times report that Trump spoke on the phone with Cuomo about how to defeat Mamdani in November. Meanwhile, Mamdani has described how his administration would be Trump’s “worst nightmare.”

“As we see Donald Trump and Andrew Cuomo trip over themselves to reward those who already have a fortune, we will stand up and fight for those that have been forgotten,” Mamdani said on Staten Island on Wednesday at an anti-Trump event focused on immigration. 

Trump made waves on the 2024 presidential campaign trail when he held a rally in the Bronx and then visited a local barber shop in the borough. 

The focus on deep blue New York City was seen as politically unusual for a Republican candidate, but Trump spent weeks in New York City for his criminal trial and often used the Big Apple as his own personal campaign trail. 

During the rally, Trump vowed to “turn New York City around,” promising to make the city “bigger, better and greater than ever before.”

The Republican candidate also spoke with voters at Knockout Barbershop in the Bronx, taking questions from locals grappling with economic hardship. 

“We see far too many parallels between Donald Trump and Andrew Cuomo, far too many stories that make clear that both administrations have been characterized by corruption, by a sense of impunity, by an inability of an executive to understand that no means no, a prioritization of the interests of billionaires over working people, and an agenda that is driven by little else beyond the retention and accumulation of power,” Mamdani said on Monday in Manhattan. 

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The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s comment request, but said on Monday, ahead of Mamdani’s first anti-Trump event, “The American people have repeatedly rejected this Communist agenda and the more Mamdani shares his radical policies, the more the American people will recoil.” 

Washington, D.C., Police Chief Pamela Smith issued an executive order giving limited cooperation with federal immigration authorities on Thursday.

The move comes after the recent federal takeover of the department and the sending of National Guard troops to curb crime and homelessness in the capital.

According to the order, Metropolitan Police Department officers can now help with “sharing information about persons not in MPD custody” such as during “traffic stops” and can provide “transportation for federal immigration agency employees and detained subjects,” according to NBC 4 Washington.

‘RADICAL’ DC OFFICIALS TREATED OFFICERS ‘LIKE CRAP,’ POLICE LEADER SAYS – 7 ATTACKS THAT LED TO TRUMP TAKEOVER

However, the order says personnel cannot “make any inquiry through any database solely for the purpose of inquiring about an individual’s immigration status.”

“Members shall not make inquiries into any person’s immigration status for the purpose of determining whether they have violated the civil immigration laws or for the purpose of enforcing civil immigration laws,” the order stated.

“Members shall not arrest individuals based solely on federal immigration warrants or detainers as long as there is no additional criminal warrant or underlying offense for which the individual is subject to arrest,” the order continued.

I SUPPORT TRUMP TAKING CONTROL OF DC POLICE — THE CONSTITUTION IS ON HIS SIDE

The capital is considered a sanctuary city, which Mayor Muriel Bowser tried to get scrapped earlier this year, according to Axios. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

“Excellent news. America’s capital city should not be a sanctuary for lawlessness,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, tweeted.

“MAKE D.C. SAFE AGAIN,” the White House’s rapid response account posted.

The federal takeover of the police department was announced by President Donald Trump on Monday, and there’s been a heightened law enforcement presence throughout the city, including the National Guard at places like Union Station.

AG PAM BONDI MEETS WITH DC MAYOR AS TRUMP DISPATCHES NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS IN CAPITAL

On Wednesday night alone, there were 45 arrests, and 29 of them were people in the country illegally, as numerous federal agencies are taking part in the major crackdown.

While the takeover has been praised by Republicans and some D.C. residents, many Democrats have been vocally opposed. The move was prompted in large part by juvenile criminal activity throughout the city in recent months.

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“The Administration’s actions are unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful. There is no crime emergency in the District of Columbia. Violent crime in DC reached historic 30-year lows last year, and is down another 26% so far this year,” D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb posted to X on Monday. “We are considering all of our options and will do what is necessary to protect the rights and safety of District residents.

California is center stage on Thursday in the national battle over congressional redistricting ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

Two-term Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom will team up with congressional Democrats and legislative leaders in the heavily blue state at an event in Los Angeles.

That’s where they’re expected to unveil their game plan to counter the push by President Donald Trump and Republicans to create up to five GOP-friendly congressional districts in red state Texas at the expense of currently Democrat-controlled seats.

“If you will not stand down, I will be forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states,” Newsom said in a recent letter to the president.

NEWSOM VOWS TO FIGHT ‘FIRE WITH FIRE’ IN CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING BATTLE

And he argued that Trump was “playing with fire” with his push for rare—but not unheard of—mid-decade redistricting.

Newsom says Trump missed a deadline to stand down on his push to redistrict in Texas.

“DONALD ‘TACO’ TRUMP, AS MANY CALL HIM, ‘MISSED’ THE DEADLINE!!! CALIFORNIA WILL NOW DRAW NEW, MORE ‘BEAUTIFUL MAPS,’ THEY WILL BE HISTORIC AS THEY WILL END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY (DEMS TAKE BACK THE HOUSE!),” Newsom wrote earlier this week in a social media post posted by his press office, which was meant to mock how Trump writes his own social media posts.

“BIG PRESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK WITH POWERFUL DEMS AND GAVIN NEWSOM — YOUR FAVORITE GOVERNOR — THAT WILL BE DEVASTATING FOR ‘MAGA.’ THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! — GN,” he added. 

The Republican push in Texas, which comes at Trump’s urging, is part of a broader effort by the GOP across the country to pad their razor-thin House majority to keep control of the chamber in the 2026 midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats.

NEWSOM DEMANDS TRUMP GIVE UP TEXAS REDISTRICTING PUSH

Trump and his political team are aiming to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House, when Democrats stormed back to grab the House majority in the 2018 midterms. 

But while the Republican push in Texas to upend the current congressional maps doesn’t face constitutional constraints, Newsom’s path in California is much more complicated.

In Texas, Republicans plan to enact the new maps they drew up once enough state Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to prevent the legislature from passing the measure return to Texas.

The governor is moving to hold a special election this year, to obtain voter approval to undo the constitutional amendments that created the non-partisan redistricting commission. A two-thirds majority vote in the Democrat-dominated California legislature would be needed to hold the referendum.

Democratic Party leaders are confident they’ll have the votes to push the constitutional amendment and the new proposed congressional maps through the legislature.

Thursday’s news conference by Newsom, who is considered a likely contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, will also serve as a fundraising kickoff to raise massive amounts of campaign cash needed to sell the redistricting push statewide in California. 

SCHWARZENEGGER’S NEW STARING ROLE: PUSHING BACK AGAINST NEWSOM’S REDISTRICTING DRIVE

The non-partisan redistricting commission, created over 15 years ago, remains popular with most Californians, according to public opinion polling.

That’s why Newsom and California Democratic lawmakers are promising not to scrap the commission entirely, but rather replace it temporarily by the legislature for the next three election cycles.

But their efforts are opposed by a number of coalition of figures supportive of the non-partisan commission.

Among the most visible members is former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the last Republican elected governor in Democrat-dominated California.

Schwarzenegger, during his tenure as governor, had a starring role in the passage of constitutional amendments in California in 2008 and 2010 that took the power to draw state legislative and congressional districts away from politicians and place it in the hands of an independent commission.

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“Most people don’t really think about an independent commission much, one way or another. And that’s both an opportunity and a challenge for Newsom,” Jack Pitney, an American politics professor at California’s Claremont McKenna College, told Fox News.

But he added that “it’s going to take a lot of effort and money to energize Democrats and motivate them to show up at the polls” and that Newsom’s effort “is all about motivating people who don’t like Trump.”