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Former Rep. Katie Porter, a Democratic candidate in California’s crowded gubernatorial primary, is facing backlash after saying illegal immigrants are driving population growth in the state, a claim long advanced by Republicans.

“The job of the California governor is to protect every single Californian,” Porter said after being asked if she would work with federal authorities to deport illegal immigrants at Tuesday’s California gubernatorial debate. 

“The sanctuary state policy is designed to make sure that our state resources — the taxpayer dollars, the public servants that we have — are focusing on doing their jobs, which is not cooperating with the federal immigration authorities.

KATIE PORTER INTERVIEW GOES VIRAL AS JOURNALISTS MARVEL AT DEMOCRAT’S MELTDOWN 

“These are Californians. They contribute to our economy. They pay taxes. And they’re one of the only ways that our state has been growing in recent years,” Porter said of illegal immigrants.

Gunther Eagleman, a popular right-wing X account, accused Porter of saying “the quiet part out loud” by stating that illegal immigrants have mitigated population decline in California.

“Katie Porter accidentally admits out loud that Californians are fleeing California and are being replaced by imported illegals,” conservative influencer account LibsofTikTok posted on X. 

Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have accused Democrats of resisting efforts to deport illegal immigrants because it could cost them seats in the House of Representatives. Illegal immigrants counted by the Census help determine the total number of House seats a given state is entitled to when the chamber is reapportioned every ten years.

“So she’s saying Cali has too many seats in the House?” another X user said in response to Porter’s comment.

While Trump and others have attempted to add a citizenship question to the Census in an effort to remove noncitizens from calculations determining the number of House seats each state has, the Constitution does not mention citizenship status in relation to congressional apportionment.

NEW POLL REVEALS MAJORITY OF CALIFORNIANS OPPOSE THIS KEY BENEFIT FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

“California is cooked: Katie Porter says criminal illegal aliens are ‘one of the only ways California has been growing in recent years,” Republican communications operative Steve Guest wrote on X. 

“Democrats have been in total control of [California] for the past 16 years.”

An estimated 400,000 illegal immigrants entered California from 2021 to 2023, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. Between July 2021 and July 2023, California’s overall population grew by just under 20,000, per data published by the California Department of Finance.

“Thats because all the billionaires, millionaires big business and anyone that can afford it is leaving [California] faster than you pouring a pot of boiling hot potatoes on your ex partners head,” one X account wrote, responding to Porter and alluding to an allegation of domestic violence against the gubernatorial candidate.

SKYROCKETING HEALTHCARE BUDGET FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAUNTS BLUE STATE TAXPAYERS 

California saw a net population loss of 215,542 from domestic migration in 2025, compared to a net gain of 125,473 from foreign migration that same year, according to the state’s Department of Finance. Migration out of California has cost the state billions of dollars per year in tax revenue, according to California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office.

Other critics seized on Porter’s assertion that illegal immigrants benefit California’s economy.

“If you think the best way to promote economic growth involves letting in illegal aliens, you’re doing it wrong,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote. 

California’s illegal immigrants paid roughly $8.5 billion in state and local taxes during 2022, according to an estimate from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Conservative critics argue that illegal immigrants consume more than that in public services, such as education and subsidized healthcare, though the costs of such things are difficult to quantify.

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Some studies, including a report recently published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, have also found that illegal immigration causes the cost of living to go up by increasing demand for housing. 

“I contained myself well, I think,” Sheriff Chad Bianco, one of the two Republicans who participated in the gubernatorial debate, chimed in. 

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is out of the ICU but will continue to spend time in the hospital before being discharged, according to a spokesperson for the former politician.

“The mayor and his family appreciate the outpouring of love and prayers sent his way,” Ted Goodman, a political strategist who launched a livestream program with Giuliani, said in an update posted to social media on Wednesday.

“Mayor Giuliani—the man who took down the Mafia, saved New York City, and ran toward the towers on September 11th—is the same fighter he’s always been, and he’s winning this fight,” he continued.

Goodman added that the “power of prayer is working” and the former mayor “feels it,” encouraging people to keep them coming.

RUDY GIULIANI’S PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER GIVES UPDATE ON HIS CONDITION

Giuliani, 81, was hospitalized in critical but stable condition on Sunday because of severe breathing issues.

On Monday, Giuliani’s doctor, Maria Ryan, told Fox News correspondent Danamarie McNicholl that he began feeling ill after returning from a trip to Paris, with his breathing deteriorating to the point that he required hospitalization and was placed on a ventilator.

Ryan said his condition turned critical, prompting a priest to be called to his bedside to perform last rites.

But by Tuesday, his condition had improved enough for doctors to remove him from the ventilator. He is now breathing independently and able to speak.

RUDY GIULIANI HOSPITALIZED IN CRITICAL BUT STABLE CONDITION: ‘HE’S FIGHTING’

Ryan said she expects Giuliani to make a full recovery.

“He’s a fighter — the way he was yesterday in such a critical condition, he did have a priest come anoint him,” Ryan said. “And all the prayers from around — it’s like a miracle. This guy’s got 9 lives, today he’s doing much better.”

Giuliani has faced a number of health challenges in recent years but has remained active in public life.

Earlier this week, Goodman noted Giuliani’s health history following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when he was exposed to debris while responding at Ground Zero, later leading to a diagnosis of restrictive airway disease.

He had also been seriously injured in a car crash in New Hampshire in August of last year, leaving him with a fractured thoracic vertebra, multiple lacerations and other injuries.

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President Donald Trump said after learning of Giuliani’s hospitalization on Sunday that he was the “Best Mayor” in New York City’s history.

“Our fabulous Rudy Giuliani, a True Warrior, and the Best Mayor in the History of New York City, BY FAR, has been hospitalized, and is in critical condition,” Trump said, in part.

Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

The White House called former President Barack Obama “a classless moron” suffering from “a severe and debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome” after Obama launched a thinly veiled criticism at President Donald Trump by saying a president should not direct the attorney general to prosecute individuals.

“He is a total disgrace for all the division he has sowed upon this country, and history will not judge him well,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said of the former president. “The only special interest guiding the Trump Administration’s decision-making is the best interest of the American people. Only pathetic trainwrecks like Stephen Colbert would waste their time interviewing one of the worst presidents in history on his failing show.”

Obama made the remark during an interview with “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert, who asked what restrictions should be placed on presidential power. Obama’s Tuesday appearance comes during the show’s final weeks.

“The White House shouldn’t be able to direct the attorney general to go around prosecuting whoever the president wants prosecuted,” Obama said. “The idea is that the attorney general is the people’s lawyer, it’s not the president’s consiglieri.”

OBAMA LAUGHS AS HE HINTS COLBERT COULD PERFORM BETTER THAN TRUMP AS PRESIDENT, SAYS ‘BAR HAS CHANGED’

“You can’t have a situation in which whoever’s in charge of the government starts using that to go after the political enemies and reward their friends, right?” Obama continued.

Obama discussed his relationship with Attorney General Eric Holder, who served in his administration for six years. He said he consulted with Holder regularly, but only on “broader policy issues.”

“That’s different than who do you charge, what case do you bring,” Obama said.

Trump supporters on social media criticized Obama’s comments, pointing to previous remarks by Holder describing their close relationship. In a 2013 radio interview with Tom Joyner, Holder described himself as Obama’s “wingman” when answering a question about his plans to leave the administration.

OBAMA SAYS MOTIVE UNCLEAR DESPITE MANIFESTO OUTLINING ALLEGED TARGETS IN WHCD SHOOTING

“I’m still enjoying what I’m doing, there’s still work to be done. I’m still the president’s wingman, so I’m there with my boy. So we’ll see,” Holder said.

During Holder’s tenure as attorney general, he was held in contempt by the House for failing to produce documents related to an investigation into Operation Fast and Furious, an operation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that led to Mexican drug cartels gaining access to illegal guns. Holder has previously faced scrutiny for opting against seeking criminal prosecution, but he was never accused of pursuing criminal charges on Obama’s behalf.

Obama’s remarks come as acting Attorney General Todd Blanche indicted former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly threatening the president’s life based on an Instagram post showing a seashell formation spelling out “86-47,” a reference to removing Trump from office. The latest charges follow the dismissal of charges brought against Comey by the Justice Department last year.

TRUMP PRESSED ON WHETHER HE ORDERED DOJ TO TARGET JAMES COMEY, JOHN BOLTON, LETITIA JAMES

Aside from Comey, several of Trump’s other political foes have been indicted, including former national security advisor John Bolton and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The Justice Department had also opened criminal investigations into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

Trump posted a message on Truth Social in September directly addressed to former Attorney General Pam Bondi requesting that she prosecute several of his political foes.

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“Pam: I have reviewed over 30 statements and posts saying that, essentially, ‘same old story as last time, all talk, no action. Nothing is being done,” Trump wrote. “What about Comey, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff, Leticia??? They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done.”

Congressional Democrats hammered Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for lying about his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after he admitted his relationship with Epstein lasted longer than he previously disclosed.

Lutnick participated in a voluntary closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday to answer questions about Epstein as part of the panel’s probe into the disgraced financier.

“I feel very comfortable saying that Howard Lutnick is a pathological liar,” Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., said when she left the room in the middle of the Capitol Hill testimony to give reporters an update.

She claimed the Trump official is complicit in “the most egregious cover-up in American history.”

HOWARD LUTNICK FORCED TO FACE JEFFREY EPSTEIN TIES DURING HOUSE OVERSIGHT HEARING

Democratic lawmakers, who have seized on the Epstein saga after largely ignoring it under former President Joe Biden, accused Lutnick of stonewalling their questions during their sit-down.

“If Donald Trump had seen the video transcript, he would have fired Howard Lutnick,” Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., insisted. “He’s lost all credibility, and really it’s a shame that the American people don’t get to see what he did there — total lack of truth and lack of honesty.”

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., accused Democrats of lying about Lutnick’s testimony, which he characterized as “very forthcoming” — thought admitted he was not “100% truthful” in the past.

“The only cover-up that I’ve seen on the Oversight Committee is the cover-up of the Democrats trying to cover up our investigations of the Metro Police Department lying about crime statistics, and the cover-up of the Minnesota fraud by Tim Walz and Keith Ellison and the cover-up of the hospice fraud in California,” Comer said, referring to several active probes under his purview.

Lutnick answered nearly 400 questions from lawmakers and their staff during the hours-long interview and the sit-down ended when their inquiries had been exhausted, a spokesperson for the Department of Commerce said Wednesday

“He explained repeatedly that three encounters do not constitute a relationship,” the spokesperson said. “The committee adjourned without identifying any evidence to the contrary.”

Lutnick told the panel that he never saw Epstein with young women or witnessed anything inappropriate with young women during the three times they met, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.

Lutnick did not respond to reporters’ questions outside the Oversight Committee room on Wednesday.

HOWARD LUTNICK SHUTS DOWN DEM QUESTIONS OVER JEFFREY EPSTEIN AT BUDGET HEARING

Democrats in Congress have argued that Lutnick’s acknowledgment of a brief lunch visit to Epstein’s Caribbean island in 2012 with his wife, children and nannies after previously claiming he cut off ties seven years earlier undermines his credibility.

Lutnick told the New York Post last year that he had no contact with Epstein after 2005, when he and his wife had a brief meeting in the disgraced financier’s apartment and saw the massage table.

However, Epstein files that were released this year showed that Lutnick’s relationship with Epstein extended well beyond that. The commerce secretary told the House panel that his short visit to Epstein’s island was “unsettling” because he did not know how Epstein’s assistant knew that he and his family were vacationing in the U.S. Virgin Islands at the time.

The two were next-door neighbors from 2005 until 2019, when Epstein died by suicide in a New York correctional center after being indicted on federal sex trafficking charges. 

Comer acknowledged Wednesday that Lutnick withheld information about the 2012 lunch with Epstein, but argued that his credibility is up to Americans to decide.

“I haven’t seen wrongdoing in the email correspondence, but he wasn’t 100% truthful with whether or not he had been on the island,” Comer told reporters.

“We’re going to ask him all these questions, and we’ll let the American people judge whether the credibility was damaged or not,” he added.

The Trump administration has largely stood by Lutnick amid calls for his resignation from Democrats and a handful of Republicans, including Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.

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Comer also said his unprecedented invitation to invite Lutnick, a Cabinet secretary, to appear before the committee shows the bipartisan nature of the Epstein probe.

“There’s never been a chairman bring in Cabinet secretaries of their own party,” he told Fox News. “We have Pam Bondi coming in in a couple of weeks. So, I think people can see that this is a bipartisan investigation. We’re really sincerely trying to get the truth. Our goal is to provide justice for the victims and, hopefully, today will be helpful.”

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi is scheduled for a transcribed interview with the committee on May 29. Tech billionaire Bill Gates is slated to testify on June 10.

A Democratic lawmaker is drawing backlash after saying she spoke with foreign ambassadors about getting oil to Cuba despite U.S. sanctions, defending the outreach as “literally our right and responsibility.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., made the remarks during a recent Seattle briefing following a congressional delegation trip to Cuba, where she discussed the island’s worsening fuel shortages and U.S. policy toward the communist regime.

“I was in conversations with the ambassadors from Mexico and some other places … trying to figure out how to get oil there,” Jayapal said during the briefing, calling the situation on the island “a crisis beyond imagination.”

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Jayapal said the event was part of a broader briefing on the humanitarian situation in Cuba following her recent visit.

“As many of you know, I traveled to Cuba as part of a congressional delegation last month,” she said. “It is part of my role to see how U.S. foreign policy is actually affecting the people in the countries where that policy is being implemented.”

PAIR OF DEMOCRAT LAWMAKERS SLAM ‘BLOCKADE OF FUEL’ TO CUBA, ‘ECONOMIC BOMBING’ AFTER VISIT TO ISLAND

She said she met with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, senior government officials, political dissidents, civil society groups and foreign diplomats during the trip.

Video of the remarks circulated widely on X, where users criticized the progressive lawmaker’s comments and raised legal concerns.

REP. JAYAPAL SLAMMED FOR TELLING AMERICANS TO ‘THINK ABOUT WHO PICKED’ THEIR FOOD IN ANTI-DEPORTATION REMARKS

Conservative accounts amplified the clip, including End Wokeness, which claimed she was “conspiring against the U.S.” and suggested her actions could constitute a federal felony. Libs of TikTok wrote that her actions “seems a little like treason to me.”

DEM CONGRESSWOMAN DENIES RHETORIC INCITED ANTI-ICE VIOLENCE, DOUBLES DOWN ON CONDEMNING AGENCY

Social media users also pointed to potential legal implications. “Traitor. She should be prosecuted,” wrote “The Charlie Kirk Show” executive producer Andrew Kolvet on X.

Those claims are political commentary and have not been independently verified, and no investigation or charges have been publicly announced.

Jayapal responded to the backlash in a post on X, writing, “Breaking news: Members of Congress meet with ambassadors of other countries every day. That’s literally our right and responsibility.”

Her remarks came as she sharply criticized U.S. sanctions on Cuba, describing them as “economic bombing of the infrastructure.”

“It is illegal. It is against the law,” she said. “This is essentially doing the same thing. It is bombing the infrastructure of Cuba with economic sanctions that essentially ensure that the infrastructure collapses.”

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The controversy has also prompted discussion of the Logan Act, a rarely used federal law that bars unauthorized individuals from negotiating with foreign governments in disputes involving the United States.

Andrew McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor, told Fox News Digital the statute has never resulted in a conviction and has been used only sparingly in U.S. history.

“There has never been a conviction under it — in fact, there have only been two indictments, the last one about 174 years ago,” McCarthy said.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REACHING OUT TO DEMOCRAT LAWMAKERS SEEN IN VIDEO TELLING TROOPS TO ‘REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS’

He added that any potential legal exposure would depend on whether a lawmaker took concrete action that violated U.S. sanctions.

“There would be no criminal case … unless it can be shown that she took some action that violated, or aided and abetted a violation of, the sanctions,” McCarthy said.

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He argued disputes over engagement with foreign governments are more appropriately handled through political accountability rather than criminal law.

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The Trump administration has previously described the Cuban government as a national security concern due to its ties to adversarial countries and actors, including relationships with Iran and alleged links to groups such as Hezbollah. The Cuban government has also faced longstanding criticism over political repression and restrictions on free speech.

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The island’s economic conditions have contributed to a surge in migration, with hundreds of thousands of Cubans arriving in the United States in recent years.

Jayapal, who traveled to Cuba in April with Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill., has argued U.S. policy is worsening conditions for civilians on the island while also acknowledging concerns with the Cuban government.

CUBAN PRESIDENT ADMITS TALKS WITH TRUMP ADMIN AS FUEL BLOCKADE CHOKES DOMESTIC ENERGY SUPPLY AND ECONOMY

“I do also have criticisms of the Cuban government … In our meetings, I have always raised those,” she said, referencing issues including political prisoners and limits on dissent.

“The Cuban government has sent many signals that this is a new moment for the country,” Jayapal said in a statement following the trip, adding that U.S. restrictions on fuel amount to “cruel collective punishment.”

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She has called for lifting the U.S. embargo and removing Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list, while backing legislation to block potential U.S. military action against the country.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Jayapal’s office, the White House and the State Department for comment.

Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch spoke out against rising threats targeting judges, breaking his silence on violence against the judiciary in a sit-down interview with Fox News Digital.

Gorsuch’s remarks come amid heightened security concerns for members of the Supreme Court after the 2022 leak of the court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which sparked protests outside justices’ homes and intensified fears about their safety, particularly after the attempted assassination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Gorsuch emphasized that the current environment — marked by increasingly heated public discourse and breaches of court confidentiality — poses broader risks to the institution.

“We have to be able to hear one another,” Gorsuch said. “And violence is never the answer.”

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His remarks come as members of the federal judiciary have faced heightened security risks in recent years, including an assassination attempt targeting Kavanaugh during the lead-up to the Dobbs decision, when the court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the federal constitutional right to abortion.

On June 8, 2022, Nicholas John Roske, a transgender individual from Simi Valley, California, traveled to Kavanaugh’s Maryland home with a gun and ammunition in a checked suitcase. Authorities later found a gun, tactical knife, zip ties, duct tape, a hammer, crowbar, lock-pick tools and other items in Roske’s belongings, according to the Department of Justice. 

After seeing deputy U.S. Marshals outside the home, Roske walked away and called 911, telling a dispatcher about having homicidal and suicidal thoughts and had come from California to kill a Supreme Court justice.

Before the incident, Roske searched online for information about how to harm people — one search read “Does twisting or dragging a knife cause more damage” — and expressed a desire to affect the outcome of the Dobbs decision. Roske was sentenced to eight years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for the assassination attempt.

Though Gorsuch stopped short of weighing in directly on specific incidents, he stressed to Fox News Digital that maintaining civil discourse and institutional boundaries are critical to preserving the Supreme Court’s role and the independence of the federal judiciary.

“There’s a balance between transparency and [the] confidentiality in our work, right?” Gorsuch said. “I mean, it’s wonderful, I think, that we have the opportunity for people to listen in to our own arguments. You can listen to every word uttered in arguments from the bench today, in real time.

“At the same time, we also have to be able to talk with one another privately and discuss our views candidly around the conference table.”

Gorsuch suggested these breaches of confidentiality — including the high-profile Dobbs leak, and more recent leaks of confidential Supreme Court memos exchanged by justices in 2016 — risk further eroding public trust in the judiciary.

JUSTICE BARRETT TEASES NEW MEMOIR IN ABRUPT CONFERENCE EXIT

“You think about how robust our system is, where everybody, all factions come into making laws,” Gorsuch said. “That makes our decisions wiser than you are ever gonna get in a dictatorship or a monarchy or an oligarchy. They’re much more fragile, aren’t they?”

At the same time, Gorsuch underscored that maintaining boundaries for the court’s internal deliberations is critical, particularly after high-profile leaks.

“There’s a balance between transparency on the one hand … and confidentiality in our deliberations,” he said. “You can read every word I think about a case at the end of the day. … But do we need some confidentiality? Of course.”

He warned that losing that balance could undermine both trust in the court and the ability of justices to engage in candid debate behind closed doors, a practice he noted dates back to the nation’s founding.

“The framers thought it was very important that they lock the doors when they were discussing the Constitution,” Gorsuch said, adding that James Madison later believed there “would have been no Constitution” without that privacy.

Gorsuch tied those concerns to the broader constitutional principle of judicial independence, arguing the judiciary’s role depends on its insulation from political pressure and public backlash.

“Why do we have an independent judiciary?” Gorsuch said. “The framers did not want [judges beholden to political forces]. … They said you have to have independent judges so that when you come to court, no matter how unpopular you are, you’re going to get fair, neutral application of the law.”

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Despite ideological differences among the justices, Gorsuch said there remains a shared respect for the Constitution, a dynamic he suggested is essential in an era of growing polarization.

“When I sit around the table with my colleagues, and we disagree, the one thing I know is that the person across from me loves this country … as much as I do,” he said.

Still, Gorsuch made clear that the tone of public debate — and the rejection of violence — will ultimately shape whether that system endures.

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“We can debate, we can disagree,” he said. “But we have to be able to do it in a way that respects one another.”

Ashley Oliver and Jake Gibson contributed to this report.

A California immigration judge who was terminated by the Trump administration is alleging in a lawsuit against the Department of Justice (DOJ) that she was fired because she is a registered Democrat and because of her affiliations with immigrant-rights groups.

The 14-page lawsuit, filed by Kyra Lilien, names the DOJ and acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche as defendants.

Lilien claims she was not retained past her probationary period because of a number of factors, including being a woman over the age of 40, being fluent in Spanish and her associations with the Hispanic community.

JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S MASS DISMISSALS OF PROBATIONARY FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

Kevin Owen of Gilbert Employment Law in Maryland, one of Lilien’s attorneys, told FOX San Francisco that she didn’t fit their mold and that the actions taken against her were impermissible and unlawful.

The lawsuit alleges that her termination violated Lilien’s civil and First Amendment rights.

Lilien was initially appointed to serve at the San Francisco Immigration Court on July 23, 2023, before being transferred to the Concord Immigration Court in February 2024. In total, she served nearly two years, which is the standard probationary period immigration judges serve under Justice Department policy before their appointments are typically converted to permanent roles.

The lawsuit names nearly 30 other immigration judges from around the country who were either fired or not converted from probationary periods, including 14 from the Concord and San Francisco immigration courts.

The filing states that immigration judges who were not converted or were terminated around the same time as the plaintiff were overwhelmingly female. Fox News Digital has reached out to Lilien’s attorney, the DOJ, as well as the DOJ’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

GROUP OF DEI WORKERS SUE TO STOP TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Throughout her employment and during her probationary period, Lilien met or exceeded all performance standards, according to the lawsuit.

She received satisfactory assessments — the highest possible rating — in her probationary period reports for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. As a judge, Lilien denied 34% of asylum claims brought before her, according to data from TRAC Immigration.

On July 11, 2025, Lilien received a notice that her probationary period would not be converted permanently, with the message stating that the attorney general had decided not to extend her term or convert it to a permanent appointment pursuant to Article II of the Constitution.

The suit also alleges that Sirce Owen, who was serving as the acting EOIR director at the time, issued controversial memoranda in early 2025 that demonstrated hostility toward immigrant advocacy groups and certain hiring practices.

Owen allegedly characterized these groups in a memo as “extremist leftist organizations” that promote illegal immigration and attempt to undermine immigration courts.

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He also issued another memo criticizing the appointment practices under the Biden administration.

Lilien’s suit states that these memoranda together laid bare management’s hostility toward hiring individuals with immigrants’ rights backgrounds, women, ethnic minorities and others who may be considered “DEI” hires.

HARRISON, Maine — As she runs for a sixth six-year term in the U.S. Senate in left-leaning Maine, Republican Sen. Susan Collins is once again a top target for Democrats.

“I have been the number one target of Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, not only in this campaign, but the last two campaigns as well. I’m always his number one target,” Collins told Fox News Digital in an exclusive national interview this week.

And it’s no different this time around, as Collins seeks re-election in a competitive and high-profile 2026 race that is one of a handful across the country that will likely determine if Republicans keep control of their slim Senate majority.

Facing Collins will likely be military veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner, the all-but-certain Democratic nominee after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who was backed by Schumer and the Democratic Party establishment, dropped out of the race last week after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling.

SIX MONTHS TILL MIDTERMS: THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE’S MAJORITY

Platner is supported by progressive champions Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. The first-time candidate advocates an economically populist agenda as he takes aim at corporate influences and advocates for the working class.

Asked if Platner is too far to the left for voters in her northern New England state, Collins said, “I believe that will be the conclusion of Maine voters. But obviously I don’t take anything for granted.”

A Republican group supporting Collins is already blasting Platner in a new ad over controversial comments he made over a decade ago on Reddit about women and rape, and a well-publicized tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol.

Among the comments is one from 2013, which Platner later deleted, that people concerned about rape should not “get so f—ed up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to.”

The candidate apologized for his controversial Reddit posts after they made headlines last fall soon after he launched his Senate campaign. Platner has said that he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines stationed in Croatia. He said that he covered up the tattoo with a new design after learning last year that it resembled a Nazi symbol.

Asked if she’ll take aim at Platner over his political baggage, Collins said, “Obviously I’m going to be contrasting my record of achievement and accomplishments with Graham Platner’s approach, which is based in.”

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Collins stopped, before saying, “I don’t want to preview too much of our strategy.”

But the senator added that she’s “hoping that we can have a campaign that is civil, where we discuss issues and accomplishments. That’s my goal.”

Platner, who is running as an outsider, emphasizes that Collins is part of a “broken Washington” and “a generation of politicians who have failed us.”

He has described Collins’ moderate Republican image as a “charade,” highlights her support for some of President Donald Trump’s agenda, and accuses her of being part of a political system that benefits the wealthy. “She and Republican politicians like her have prioritized the interests of billionaires and corporations over people,” he has charged.

Republicans — as the party currently in power in Washington, D.C. — were already up against traditional political headwinds that lead to a loss of congressional seats. Add to that the challenging climate fueled by persistent inflation, rising gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran and Trump’s underwater approval ratings.

Asked how she can overcome the blame pointed at Republicans over the high cost of living, Collins noted she’s championed the low income heating assistance program, which “helps low income families and seniors stay warm during the cold winter months. I just recently made sure the final tranche of money was released because there is a lot of need in the state of Maine, and the cost of living is high here.”

Collins also emphasized her opposition to cuts “in food stamp benefits and in other programs that are designed for low income families, because I know how important they are.”

DEMOCRATS BUILD MIDTERM MOMENTUM BUT REPUBLICANS STILL IN DRIVER’S SEAT IN SENATE MAJORITY BATTLE

The senator was interviewed at a food bank that expanded thanks to federal funding which Collins helped obtain.

“It is so satisfying to be here today and to know that I played a very small role, but an essential role, in allowing this food bank to expand its community room, its kitchen, and to help it be even more successful,” she touted. “This food bank is extraordinary. It serves more than 1,000 families every week.”

The Democrats’ narrow path to regain control of the Senate flows through Maine, and Collins will once again face an avalanche of attack ads.

Pointing to Schumer, Collins said, “last time he poured into Maine with his affiliated groups, more than $160 million, all in negative ads trashing me and misrepresenting my record. He’s already doing that now.”

But she added that “fortunately, the people of Maine are smart, and they know lies and distortions when they see it.”

The Department of Justice is offering signing bonuses of up to $25,000 to recruit lawyers across the country to bolster legal battles against what one department official described as “lawless jurisdictions.”

New job postings show the high-dollar bonuses are being offered through the DOJ Civil Division components that handle immigration lawsuits and investigations into transgender medical treatments, two of President Donald Trump’s most contentious priorities, and highlight New York City, Raleigh, San Francisco and Dallas.

The hiring push comes as the Civil Division, the DOJ’s most expansive division led by Brett Shumate, continues the resource-intensive task of defending White House policies in court as it faces hundreds of lawsuits, while also drawing scrutiny for employee departures and reported recruiting challenges. 

The new recruitment strategy puts a spotlight on the pressure DOJ is facing to sustain its aggressive legal defense strategy, particularly in blue cities and states that it has accused of undermining federal authority, while also combating narratives that the department is struggling to retain staff.

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

A DOJ official told Fox News Digital the hiring effort is not reflective of any internal strain but rather a way for the department to “look broader by enticing attorneys around the country who may not have considered” working for a D.C.-based federal agency.

“The department is expanding resources across the country to combat lawless jurisdictions and nationwide injunctions, and there is a need to attract candidates from those new areas,” the official said, touting that Trump’s signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act gave the DOJ “millions of dollars to hire more attorneys specifically for those efforts.”

The offers come as blue states, civil rights groups and Democrats flood courts across the country with lawsuits challenging Trump’s efforts to shrink and unify the executive branch, crack down on illegal immigration, implement tariffs and tighten policies surrounding election security and transgender people and more. Lower court judges have often stymied the administration’s work. 

The DOJ has chosen on rare occasions to raise the adverse rulings on an emergency basis with the conservative-leaning Supreme Court and won some two dozen cases — which represents a vast majority of the cases — when taking that route.

JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA

The Civil Division, which is in charge of defending the civil lawsuits against the administration, has also been offering incentives to current lawyers, according to Bloomberg Law. The outlet said the division was offering new biweekly bonuses up to $220 through Thanksgiving because lawyers “keep fleeing” and because the division was “growing more desperate to stave off further departures of valuable legal minds” who are uncomfortable with Trump’s priorities.

The DOJ official addressed concerns about an employee exodus in a statement to Fox News Digital, after The Financial Times also reported that more than a quarter of its nearly 13,000 lawyers have quit or been fired since the beginning of last year.

JUDGE RESTORES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S BUYOUT OFFER TO FEDERAL WORKERS

The official attributed the departures, in part, to employees taking a “fork in the road” resignation option, which the Trump administration rolled out last year with the stated goal of reducing the size of government.

“This has allowed DOJ to run more efficiently and hire new employees who wholeheartedly believe in the work they’re doing,” the official told Fox News Digital.

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Assistant Attorney General Shumate told Fox News Digital in a statement he was “always looking for talented and qualified attorneys to advance President Trump’s priorities and protect the American people.”

“The Civil Division will continue to hire hardworking patriots from across the country and offer appreciation bonuses to our loyal attorneys who remain committed to our mission and upholding the rule of law,” Shumate said.

Every Democrat asked during this week’s California gubernatorial debate said they supported providing healthcare coverage for illegal immigrants, a position they took moments after candidates spent several minutes warning that California’s healthcare system is already too expensive and straining families, businesses and the state budget.

“We had a broken immigration system, and now you want to victimize the people who are working here and making the state run,” Democratic candidate and billionaire businessman Tom Steyer said when asked if he supported giving coverage to illegal immigrants after the current California governor, Gavin Newsom, cut it to help reduce the state’s ballooning deficit.

Former California congresswoman and fellow Democratic candidate for California governor, Katie Porter, was asked point-blank about the cost concerns related to providing illegal immigrants with free healthcare coverage.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HEALTHCARE COSTS IN BLUE STATE TRIGGERS INTENSE BUDGET DEBATE

“We can’t afford to have people who are sick, who are making the rest of us sick,” Porter responded to the cost question before her Republican opponent, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, interjected “they shouldn’t be here,” leading Porter to pause and give him a look of bewilderment.

“When anyone doesn’t have care, the rest of us are at risk when people don’t get vaccinations,” Porter continued. “When they don’t go to the doctor, they wind up in the emergency room. They cause longer lines for the rest of us. They make our health care system — they push it to the brink.”

“Immigrants, whether documented or not, work hard. They pay taxes and sometimes they get injured on the job or their children get sick,” former Biden administration Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said when asked if he supported the measure.

NEWSOM SIGNS $2.8B BAILOUT FOR HEALTHCARE PROGRAM OVERRUN BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

“It would be foolish to tell a family that they don’t have access to the pediatrician or the family doc, or not be able to use the community health center where it wouldn’t cost us so much to give them help access to good health care,” Becerra continued. “Instead, what will happen is that child will get so ill that they will have to take that child to the hospital. And what door do they enter? The most expensive door in the health care system? The emergency room door. Why do that and spend so much money when you can do it up front?”

The remaining Democratic Party candidates on the stage, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, were not directly asked whether they supported providing healthcare to illegal immigrants in the state, nor did they indicate their stances during other portions of the debate that discussed health care.

“The actual way we deal with health care in this state is to at least stop spending $20 billion a year on free health care for illegal immigrants who shouldn’t even be in the country in the first place,” Republican candidate and former Fox News host Steve Hilton said amid debate about how to reform the state’s healthcare system.

LAWMAKERS REVEAL WHETHER AMERICANS SHOULD PICK UP THE MEDICAID TAB FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

“When are we going to draw the line at any other crime? It’s illegal. They enter the country illegally, we’re not going to incentivize them to come here to take more of the resources that regular Californians aren’t getting,” Bianco added.

Before defending taxpayer-funded healthcare access for illegal immigrants, several of the Democratic candidates were already locked in a fight over who was more committed to government-run healthcare.

Steyer said he supports single payer “absolutely,” while Becerra said California should “try to get to a Medicare for all program.” Porter repeatedly pressed Becerra to be more explicit, asking whether he supported “California having its own state-run single-payer system.”

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But the push for expanded coverage came as candidates also acknowledged the cost problem. Steyer said healthcare is “eating up our budget” and “eating up every single family,” while Villaraigosa warned a state-run single-payer system would carry a roughly $500 billion price tag and require approval from the federal government.

“It’s pie in the sky,” Villaraigosa said.

The Seattle City Council president said she works with two budgets — her district’s and “the Black budget” — and urged Black residents to unite as “the most powerful political party” in Seattle.

Joy Hollingsworth, president of the Seattle City Council and representative of District 3, told attendees at the State of Africatown 2026 conference how she has advocated for the “Black budget” to be reflected in the city’s general budget. 

The public town hall, focused on advancing Seattle’s Black community, was held in late February, but Hollingsworth’s remarks mentioned by Seattle talk show host Jason Rantz.

KEY TRUMP AGENCY UNLEASHES PROBE ON BLUE STATE OVER POTENTIAL RACE-BASED MORTGAGE AID: ‘DEI IS DEAD’

“So, I got two budgets every time I go to council member Dan Strauss every year. I have a District 3 budget and then a black budget,” Hollingsworth told the audience.

Hollingsworth’s remarks came just days before Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson ordered city agencies to cut their budgets for next year by 5% to 10%. Seattle is facing a projected budget deficit of $140 million for the 2026 fiscal year.

During the address, Hollingsworth talked about how she assembled roughly 70 Black residents to testify last year on the city’s budget, dubbing it “Black Budget Day.”

“It is important that they see us, that they hear us, that we just don’t show up for certain things that we are down here advocating for us,” Hollingsworth said of Black Budget Day. 

“There are political parties in Seattle, and I believe that if Black people come together, we can be the most powerful political party in the city of Seattle. We have to coalesce our power.”

Rantz invited Hollingsworth on his radio show to explain what she meant by the term “Black budget,” suggesting that whether she meant it as a literal budget or a term used for political branding, it’s still a “problem.”

WHITE DEVELOPER SUES BALTIMORE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL CLAIMING HE WAS FIRED BECAUSE OF HIS RACE

“But we’d rightly call out a ‘white budget,'” Rantz wrote. “And it’s worth asking why Hollingsworth doesn’t appear eager to offer other constituencies their own budget. Perhaps she doesn’t care enough about Asians or Latinos?”

Rantz said Hollingsworth canceled the interview with his station, but in a statement to Fox News Digital, Hollingsworth said the Black budget refers to “targeted investments and resources directed toward historically impacted communities in Seattle.”

“This is about addressing long-standing challenges in public safety, infrastructure, small business support, clean and safe parks, roads and sidewalks and workforce development,” Hollingsworth said.

“In Seattle, we need to stay focused on delivering the city basics,” Hollingsworth continued. “That’s what communities across our city are asking for and what they want to see government deliver on every day. We are focused on the fundamentals of local government, safe streets, reliable infrastructure, responsive city services and clean public spaces.”

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Asked what percentage of Seattle’s $8.9 billion budget should be allocated for the “Black budget,” Hollingsworth said in an email, “8.9 billion dollars. The city’s budget.”

President Donald Trump warned nearly a year ago that the District of Columbia may have been reporting “fake crime numbers” when he deployed the National Guard to the nation’s capital.

Now, the Metropolitan Police Department is embroiled in scandal, as 13 officers have been placed on leave, with some already undergoing termination, according to MPD Interim Chief Jeffrey Carroll, as an ongoing probe into alleged manipulation of statistics unfolds.

“Our Internal Affairs Bureau has completed an investigation into crime reporting,” Carroll said. The MPD did not immediately respond to a Tuesday request for comment. “This investigation was reported — it was referred to us earlier this year from the United States Attorney’s Office.”

Senior officials, including an assistant chief and district commander, are among those being scrutinized, according to reports.

DC POLICE ACCUSED OF MANIPULATING CRIME STATS AS FEDERAL PROBE FINDS THOUSANDS OF MISCLASSIFIED CASES

Trump received heavy blowback from District officials and Democratic lawmakers for dispatching the Guard to the area after declaring on Truth Social that “DC gave fake crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety.”

Trump claimed that until the Guard arrived, Washington was the least safe city in the U.S. “and perhaps the world.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for further comment, while House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer took credit for the developments leading up to the suspensions.

“These terminations are a direct result of the Oversight Committee’s work exposing dangerous efforts by DC Police leaders to artificially lower crime rates,” Comer, R-Ky., said in a statement.

Meanwhile, several Democrats, including those in the District, have lambasted Trump for his actions.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., slammed the White House in August, saying the president’s use of federal law enforcement within her city is a “disproportionate overreaction” and “offensive.”

WHITE HOUSE FIRES BACK AS TRUMP’S USE OF DC POLICE FOR CRIME CRACKDOWN IS PLACED IN THE CROSSHAIRS BY DEMS

Council members on the District Council — where there are no Republicans — called Trump’s behavior off-base and extreme.

District of Columbia District Attorney Brian Schwalb also sued the feds for an “unlawful attempt to take over [MPD]” and the Justice Department’s Home-Rule order to the District in that respect.

Schwalb’s office said in a statement at the time that Trump had no right to supplant then-chief Pamela Smith, with the AG adding that his actions represented a “hostile takeover.”

“The Administration is abusing its limited, temporary authority under the Home Rule Act, infringing on the District’s right to self-governance and putting the safety of DC residents and visitors at risk,” Schwalb said, further calling the move the greatest threat to the District’s “home rule” provisions of self-governance.

In a profane response a month later to the Guard’s presence, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., declared Congress would never provide consent to Trump’s actions in Washington.

“No f—ing way,” he said in response to a question on extending the National Guard’s tenure.

‘THEY’RE EMBARRASSING US’: NATIONAL GUARD PRESENCE IN DC SPARKS FIERY CAPITOL CLASH

Schumer called Trump’s move an attempted distraction from the Jeffrey Epstein files saga.

Fox News Digital reached out to Schwalb, Holmes-Norton, Schumer, the White House and the MPD for comment.

A representative for Schwalb acknowledged Fox News Digital’s inquiry and said the attorney general’s office would respond soon.

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Meanwhile, the MPD’s union boss welcomed the news, saying his members “warned that this toxic culture of coercion, fear, and corruption left thousands of cases uninvestigated, denied victims justice, gaslit residents, and endangered public safety.”

“Forensic teams were not dispatched, evidence went uncollected, detectives were never notified, and dangerous criminals walked free. All while the public was fed falsified Daily Crime Report (DCR) numbers,” Gregg Pemberton said.

Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has taken a critical tone toward maverick Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., urging him to “get back to what he was elected to do” as a Democrat.

While speaking on CNN this week, Shapiro, another rumored 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, appeared exasperated about Fetterman amid reports that he is receiving pressure to jump ship on the party.

“Look, I don’t know what Sen. Fetterman is going to do,” he told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “I know that Pennsylvanians voted for a Democrat to represent them in the United States Senate.”

“So, I think he needs to honor that and continue with his service to Pennsylvania, and, hopefully, get back to what he was elected to do and reflect the will of the people,” he added.

KNIVES OUT FOR FETTERMAN: MAVERICK SENATOR JOINS LONG LINE OF DEMS PUNISHED FOR BREAKING FROM LEFT

Fetterman’s relationship with Shapiro has cooled since his election. The senator wrote in his book, “Unfettered,” released last November, that he and Shapiro “no longer speak” with one another. He wrote that the relationship deteriorated into an “ugliness” from which “we have never recovered.”

Fetterman has stirred up significant controversy by backing portions of Trump’s agenda. Notably, Fetterman is one of just six Democratic senators who represent states that President Donald Trump won in the 2024 election.

He was the lone Democrat to vote in favor of advancing Trump’s new pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, former Sen. Markwayne Mullin. During the prolonged government shutdown fight last year, Fetterman voted with Republicans to reopen the government, explaining his vote was choosing “country over party.”

In 2025, he voted with Republicans about 26 percent of the time, according to Congress Vote Tracker.

This has left many in the Democratic Party frustrated, including Shapiro. On a recent episode of the “Talk Easy” podcast with Sam Fragoso, Shapiro asserted, “I’ve got no beef with John” but said, “John’s got a lot of questions that I think he needs to answer for the people of Pennsylvania.”

“I think there’s a lot of people who want to know kind of what happened, why he does some of the things he does,” he continued.

In February, Shapiro declined to say whether he will support Fetterman if he seeks re-election in 2028, saying, “I don’t know if he’s running for re-election. I think he needs to decide if he’s running, and then we’ll make a decision from there.”

FETTERMAN BREAKS WITH DEMOCRATS OVER SHUTDOWN, VOWS TO PUT ‘COUNTRY OVER PARTY’

Shapiro is not the only major Democratic leader who has criticized Fetterman in recent months. Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Malcolm Kenyatta slammed Fetterman in April, labeling the senator “a mess.”

“Almost every day now my US Senator comes on this site to attack his constituents and many people who worked hard to elect him. Suggesting that they have ‘derangement syndrome’ for opposing this administration. You’re a mess @JohnFetterman,” Kenyatta wrote in an X post.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has also called out Fetterman over his response to the war in Iran and said on CNN in April that he “knows better.”

This comes as Politico reported Monday that some Republicans were trying to persuade Fetterman to change his party affiliation.

DNC VICE CHAIR ATTACKS DEMOCRATIC SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN: ‘YOU’RE A MESS’

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However, Fetterman told the outlet in an interview, “I’m a Democrat, and I’m staying one.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Fetterman and Shapiro for additional comment.

Fox News Digital’s Lindsay Kornick and Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.

Legal experts are pushing back on skepticism surrounding the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, arguing the Department of Justice would not have brought the case without meeting key legal thresholds.

“Lots of folks are saying the case is going nowhere, but, way too early to reach that conclusion,” former Democratic U.S. Attorney John Fishwick, who served in Virginia during the Obama administration, said, cautioning against prematurely dismissing the case.

The indictment, brought last month in the Eastern District of North Carolina, alleged Comey, a longtime Trump nemesis, threatened the president and delivered interstate communications containing threats when he posted a photo on Instagram of seashells reading “8647” last year. 

Free speech advocates and leftist critics pushed back against the indictment, accusing the DOJ of infringing on protected speech in the name of prosecuting one of Trump’s top political rivals. Comey, whom Trump fired as FBI director in 2017, has been outspoken against the president and profited off sales from his anti-Trump book, while Trump has said Comey is “guilty as hell” on social media and that he should face criminal charges.

BLANCHE TURNS THE TABLES ON COMEY INDICTMENT CRITICS: ‘REST ASSURED’ CASE GOES BEYOND INSTAGRAM POST

“Comey is out for revenge against Trump and has publicly gone after Trump separately from the seashells,” Fishwick said, adding that Trump also publicly said he perceived the message as a threat.

Prosecutors must prove Comey’s intent and that the message constituted a “true threat,” a high legal bar that has fueled questions about whether the case can succeed, especially in the recent threat environment where Trump has now faced three alleged assassination attempts.

“You prove intent like you always prove intent,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on “Meet the Press” this weekend. “You prove intent with witnesses. You prove intent with documents, with materials. … This is not just about a single Instagram post. This is about a body of evidence that the grand jury collected over the series of about 11 months.”

Chad Mizelle, former DOJ chief of staff, told Fox News Digital the legal standard for convicting Comey for threatening the president was high but that the indictment suggested there was underlying evidence.

“I don’t think the department would have secured the indictment without concrete evidence that Comey did knowingly and willfully threaten the president of the United States,” Mizelle said.

Mizelle noted evidence could take many forms, such as nonpublic text messages or emails.

“What was Comey’s intent when he said it?” Mizelle asked. “I suspect DOJ has evidence of that, and I’ll wager it’s not favorable to Comey.”

IN TRYING TO SECURE COMEY INDICTMENT, US PROSECUTORS HAVE SHORT WINDOW — AND A DIFFICULT CASE TO MAKE

The term “86” has been used as slang to get rid of someone or something, often in restaurants for an unavailable item or refused customer. Prosecutors alleged that, paired with “47” — a reference to Donald Trump as the 47th president — Comey’s post amounted to a threat.

Before serving as head of the FBI, Comey was a federal prosecutor and deputy attorney general for the Department of Justice. 

Comey, “more than any American, knows not to make threats and what a threat looks like,” Fishwick said.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Fox News: “This is a very smart guy. He knows what he’s doing. He’s nobody’s fool. … He knew exactly what he was doing, but hey, he’s going to have his day in court.”

The DOJ secured the indictment from a grand jury days after a third alleged assassination attempt on Trump at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, a point Blanche has drilled down on as evidence that prosecuting threats to the president, regardless of who made them, is a top priority. Fishwick said the political violence would be relevant if the case makes it to trial.

“As background to any trial, jurors in North Carolina will be aware of all the political threats in this country and know that something must be done about it,” Fishwick said.

George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley raised First Amendment concerns, saying if the case rested solely on the image of seashells forming “8647,” it could face significant legal hurdles, arguing the image “is clearly protected speech” absent additional evidence.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression said “86” could actually mean impeachment and that the charges defied Supreme Court precedent that established the standard for a “true threat.”

“The idea that Comey’s picture of seashells conveyed a serious intent to harm the president is ridiculous,” the group wrote on social media. “The administration should abandon this transparent and unconstitutional attempt to punish a critic.”

FBI DEPUTY DIRECTOR DAN BONGINO: JAMES COMEY ‘BROUGHT SHAME TO THE FBI AGAIN’ WITH ’86 47′ POST

Comey had quickly deleted the post, saying at the time that he did not realize that he had shared something ominous. After the indictment, he said he was “still innocent.”

“I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go,” Comey said.

Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton accused “the left media [of] rushing to the defense of James Comey, pretending it’s about free speech.”

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“You don’t have the right to advocate for the killing of the president,” Fitton said.

Comey’s arraignment is set for May 11 in Greenville. Comey’s lawyer did not comment for this story.

A Minnesota Medicaid fraud defendant is expected to avoid serving jail time under a plea deal that requires him to cooperate with authorities pursuing his fugitive co-defendant, whom a judge granted bond despite warnings from law enforcement that he may flee the country.

Said Awil Ibrahim pleaded guilty May 1 under a deal with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office that calls for five years of supervised probation and a stayed 150-day jail sentence in a nearly $11 million case Ellison’s office has called the state’s largest Medicaid fraud prosecution. Per the terms of his plea agreement, he will also be required to help authorities track down his missing fugitive co-defendant, alleged mastermind Abdirashid Ismail Said.

Minnesota’s fraud scandals intensified in late 2025, as federal and state authorities expanded scrutiny into pandemic-era schemes involving suspects largely from the state’s Somali community. 

MINNESOTA FRAUD SUSPECT SKIPS COURT, FORFEITS BOND, THROWING $11M MEDICAID CASE INTO DOUBT

Said testified at a hearing in 2023 that cultural misunderstanding was a factor in the fraud cases, arguing at the time that investigators did not understand that people within the Minneapolis Somali community often transfer funds to each other in ways that don’t produce paper trails, local media reported at the time. 

Said failed to show up for a mandated court appearance in early April after Hennepin County District Court Judge Juan Hoyos granted him a bond set at $150,000. The terms of the bond allowed Said to retain possession of his passport, even as law enforcement officials told the judge that he was a flight risk.

“Given the nature and severity of the charges, and SAID’s familial ties outside the jurisdiction of Minnesota, I believe there is a potential SAID may flee, hide, or otherwise prevent the execution of the warrant,” a police detective wrote in the criminal complaint against Said. The complaint noted that Said has a wife and child in Kenya, where he is believed to have fled.

Ibrahim’s role in Said’s operation included defrauding Minnesota taxpayers of $2.2 million using false claims and paying himself over half a million dollars through the scheme. As part of his plea deal, Ibrahim has acknowledged that he stole from the state and agreed to return the $2.2 million through a payment plan that will be determined at his sentencing hearing. 

His jail sentence will be stayed if he complies with probation and a payment plan. 

WALZ REMOVES TOP MINNESOTA OFFICIAL ON EVE OF ‘GAUNTLET’ HEARING OVER FRAUD SCANDAL

Investigators had pointed to texts shared between Said and Ibrahim in 2022 as evidence of the fraud. 

“We gonna party bro. Insha Allah,” one text from Said to Ibrahim obtained by prosecutors reads. 

“Next pay period bro I’ll bill 50k … Im gonna over bill the hours … And do a hit and run,” Ibrahim responded.

KLOBUCHAR VOWS FRAUD CRACKDOWN, AUDIT OF MN GOV’T AS GOP BLASTS WALZ TIES

Prosecutors claim Ibrahim over-reported how much time staff at his care center spent caring for patients in order to receive more money from the state than he was entitled to. As part of Ibrahim’s plea deal, authorities dismissed a racketeering charge and two additional theft charges against him.

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Said had previously been convicted of fraud in Minnesota in 2021, receiving probation and community service instead of a jail sentence. 

The Minnesota attorney general’s office did not respond to a request for comment after being reached by Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

The U.S. Department of Education announced that its Office for Civil Rights has launched a probe into the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) “for policies that appear to automatically reassign teachers accused of sexual misconduct with students… to another school.”

“OCR will determine whether the District’s handling of alleged sexual harassment, including sexual assault, by District teachers, administrators, and/or staff violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX),” the department noted in a Tuesday press release.

But the school district pushed back in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.

LAUSD asserted that “commentary is circulating insinuating that the District assigns those being investigated for sexual misconduct to other school sites. This is not true. Confusion seems to center on the meaning of the term ‘reassignment.'”

TRUMP ADMIN INVESTIGATES ALL-WOMEN’S COLLEGE FOR ADMITTING MALE STUDENTS

“‘Reassignment’ typically means an employee is directed to remain at home and away from students and schools during an investigation,” a district spokesperson continued. “Decisions about reassignment are guided first and foremost by the safety of students, staff, and the workplace.  After an investigation concludes, appropriate measures or discipline may be taken, including termination of employment if warranted.”

“Los Angeles Unified takes all allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment with the utmost seriousness. Our primary responsibility is to ensure the safety, dignity, and well-being of every student and staff member in our care,” the district spokesperson said.

“The District follows established Title IX procedures and other applicable laws and regulations, which are designed to ensure a fair, thorough, and impartial process for all parties. When allegations are reported, they are promptly reviewed, and appropriate interim measures are implemented to protect those involved. If violations are substantiated, the District takes decisive action in accordance with the law and our policies,” the statement noted.

“We also continuously review and strengthen our policies, training, and reporting systems to better prevent misconduct and support those who come forward. We encourage anyone with information or concerns to report them so they can be addressed appropriately,” the district spokesperson said. “We understand the seriousness of allegations and the impact they have on our community. The District remains committed to transparency, accountability, and fostering a safe environment for all.”

The U.S. Department of Education told Fox News Digital on Wednesday, “We are actively investigating this, and OCR will determine whether the policy is in violation of Title IX.”

The department also referred Fox News Digital to its press release and to posts on X by Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

The department’s press release pointed to a 2024 document involving LAUSD and the United Teachers of Los Angeles union.

FEDS OPEN PROBE INTO ANTI-ISRAEL NYC TEACHERS

“Upon reassignment of any UTLA member, they will be notified within 5 days of the general nature of the allegations against them. We will advise them that they are being reassigned for any of the following categories. Moreover, reassignment will only occur if the nature of the allegations fits one of these descriptions,” the document declared, before going on to list categories such as “Sexual harassment of a student, employee, school-related adult, or other community member,” “Engaging in a sexual or romantic relationship with a student regardless of their age, or with any other minors outside of LAUSD,” and others.

Fox News Digital reached out to United Teachers Los Angeles on Wednesday.

In a Tuesday post on X, McMahon wrote, “Any of the abhorrent actions listed here should result in termination or worse, but the LA teachers union appears to protect the employment of sexual predators over the safety of students, allowing alleged criminals to be reassigned to a different school. The Trump Administration will always fight to uphold the law, protect the safety of students, and restore common sense to our schools.”

McMahon added in another post Wednesday, “Teachers unions are advocating to keep children out of schools for protests, using dues to prop up political agendas, and negotiating protections for child abusers. The unions are not fighting for students or teachers – they are fighting to protect their own power.”

SENATORS UNVEIL BILL TO COMBAT FINANCIAL AID FRAUD BY ‘GHOST STUDENTS’

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“Under Title IX, schools must respond appropriately and address claims of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment and assault, in a timely manner, but the District seems to be putting the continued employment of sexual predators above the safety of students,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s press release. “It is unconscionable that the District would simply ignore Title IX’s procedural requirements to protect teachers who cause life-changing harm to their kids. The Trump Administration will always fight to uphold the law, protect the safety of all students, and restore common sense to our schools.”

A fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is holding despite continued attacks, as President Donald Trump announced a pause in naval escort operations to allow negotiations to continue — while warning that failure to reach a deal would result in a significantly escalated bombing campaign.

Trump said the pause in Project Freedom — the U.S. mission to guide commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz — is intended to give negotiators time to finalize what he described as a potential “complete and final agreement” with Iran, while maintaining that the U.S. naval blockade would remain in place.

Trump suggested in a social media post Wednesday morning the conflict could soon come to an end if Iran agrees to the terms under discussion, but warned that if it does not, U.S. forces would resume bombing at a significantly higher level and intensity.

LEAVITT EXPLAINS WHY IRAN’S SEIZURE OF TWO SHIPS DOESN’T VIOLATE TRUMP’S CEASEFIRE

“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran,” Trump wrote Wednesday morning. “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

“We prefer this to be a peaceful operation, but are locked and loaded to defend our people, our ships, our aircraft, and this mission without hesitation,” War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday. 

Even as negotiations advance, Iran has continued attacks on commercial vessels and U.S. forces, which officials say remain “below the threshold” of restarting major combat operations.

Since the start of the ceasefire April 7, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and attacked U.S. forces more than ten times, “all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations,” according to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. 

“No, the ceasefire is not over. Ultimately, this is a separate and distinct project,” Hegseth told reporters Tuesday. “We’re not looking for a fight.”

But administration officials have not defined what level of escalation would constitute a violation of the ceasefire, even as attacks continue across the region.

Asked what level of firing would violate the ceasefire, Trump told reporters Tuesday: “You’ll find out.” 

“They know what to do, and they know what not to do,” Trump went on. “They fired from little boats with peashooters … You know why? Because they don’t have any boats anymore. Their Navy is comprised of, they call them little boats, right? Boats and they’re fast. Yeah. They’re so fast that, that they had eight of them and they’re all gone, and they’re fast, but they’re not fast like a missile. A missile is slightly faster.”

U.S. forces already have engaged Iranian assets directly. In recent days, American helicopters sank at least six Iranian fast-attack boats targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. Central Command.

The latest exchanges are a far cry from the early days of the war, when U.S. forces were striking targets across Iran — from bridges and infrastructure near Tehran to a massive bombardment of Kharg Island.

The ceasefire initially was expected to include a gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane, but that has not materialized. Iran has continued to restrict access to the waterway, effectively maintaining a blockade even after the agreement took hold.

TRUMP ANNOUNCES ‘PROJECT FREEDOM,’ IRAN THREATENS ATTACKS, PAKISTAN ANNOUNCES US RELEASE OF SEIZED CARGO SHIP

In response, the U.S.-launched Project Freedom, a short-lived effort to direct stranded vessels through the strait, and has imposed its own restrictions on Iranian shipping, intercepting vessels and warning that ships entering or leaving Iranian ports could be turned back.

Iran, however, has accused the U.S. of violating the ceasefire, warning that any American interference in the strait is considered a breach of the agreement.

The violence has also extended beyond shipping lanes. 

The United Arab Emirates said its air defenses intercepted 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones launched from Iran on Monday alone, resulting in injuries. Emirati officials say hundreds of missiles and drones have been intercepted since the start of the conflict, with civilian casualties reported.

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, and shipping companies remain hesitant to resume normal transit as attacks continue and insurance risks rise. Even with U.S. escorts, industry analysts say the current security environment is unlikely to restore regular traffic in the near term. 

So far, two U.S.-escorted commercial ships have successfully transited so far under Project Freedom.

The ceasefire began as a two-week deal to allow both sides more time to agree to a permanent end to the war. But negotiations dragged on to almost the one-month mark and Trump said Sunday he finds Iran’s latest proposal unsatisfactory.

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 “They want to make a deal, I’m not satisfied with it,” he said. “They have not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to humanity, and the world, over the last 47 years,” he wrote on Truth Social Sunday. 

He wasn’t on the ballot, but President Donald Trump was the big winner in Indiana’s primary.

The president scored decisive victories in a slate of state primaries in the solidly red Midwestern state, another sign that his immense grip on the Republican Party remains rock solid.

The political world was closely watching Indiana’s primary because it was the first of a series of major tests this month of Trump’s endorsement power in GOP nomination showdowns, and the president cleared his first hurdle with ease.

Five months ago, Republicans in the GOP-dominated Indiana state Senate withstood immense pressure from Trump and his allies and voted down congressional redistricting, which would have given Indiana two more right-leaning U.S. House seats ahead of the midterms.

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Fast-forward to Tuesday and eight of those state senators faced GOP primary challenges. Seeking retribution, the president endorsed challengers to seven of the eight Republican lawmakers who voted against the redistricting bill.

Five of the Trump-endorsed candidates won, with one incumbent surviving, and one race yet to be decided as of early Wednesday morning.

“Everyone in Indiana politics should have learned an important lesson today: President Trump is the single most popular Republican among Hoosier voters,” Republican Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana, a top Trump ally in the Senate, said in a statement as the results poured in.

Banks, who was a key part of the team of Trump allies and advisors in the effort to defeat the incumbent GOP state senators, emphasized that “Indiana is a conservative state, and we deserve conservatives in our State Senate who have a pulse on Republican voters.”

SIX MONTHS TILL MIDTERMS: THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE’S MAJORITY

Trump and his team started flexing their political muscles soon after the president’s push for redistricting in Indiana came crashing down last December.

A Republican source familiar with the effort to defeat the incumbent GOP state senators told Fox News Digital over $8 million was spent on TV and digital ads between the American Leadership PAC and Hoosier Leadership for America, two outside groups aligned with Banks and steered by team Trump strategist Andrew Surabian.

The source added that Team Trump operatives began organizing this plan in February and were responsible for the vast majority of the money raised that was spent by the two groups.

Republican Gov. Mike Braun of Indiana also donated several hundred thousand dollars to the effort.

Two well known national groups: Turning Point USA’s political wing and the Club for Growth, also had the president’s back in Indiana.

The intraparty battle was seen not just as a test of fealty to Trump but rather a fight between MAGA forces and more traditional conservatives for the future of the GOP.

Club for Growth President David McIntosh told Fox News Digital “this is a big win for Trump.”

And McIntosh, a former congressman from Indiana, said the primary victories are “a signal to the entire party that our base wants us to fight for what we believe in.”

Trump appeared to be closely watching the results. As each race was called, the president took to social media to tout the victory of another Trump-endorsed state Senate challenger.

The besieged incumbents significantly outraised their challengers, and were also boosted by the Indiana Senate GOP caucus.

But the outside spending and get-out-the-vote efforts by the pro-Trump forces proved decisive.

TRUMP VS. HISTORY: HOW PRESIDENT’S POLL NUMBERS COMPARE TO BIDEN, OBAMA, BUSH AHEAD OF MIDTERMS

“The resources that he [Trump] can bring to a state Senate race are overwhelming,” veteran Republican strategist Marc Short, who served as a key official in the first Trump administration, told Fox News Digital.

Short, a longtime top Pence advisor, said the showdowns in Indiana were “about allegiance to Trump,” and that the president “still has enormous sway in the party.”

Trump’s clout will be on the line once again in a week and a half, in the Louisiana primary.

Sen. Bill Cassidy is facing primary challenges from two Republicans: Rep. Julia Letlow and former Rep. John Fleming, who is currently the state treasurer. Trump earlier this year weighed in on the race by endorsing Letlow.

Cassidy was one of only seven Senate Republicans who voted in early 2021 to convict Trump after he was impeached by the House for his role in the violent Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters who aimed to upend congressional certification of former President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. Trump was acquitted by the Senate.

But since the start of Trump’s second term 15 months ago, Cassidy has been supportive of the president’s agenda and his nominees.

If no candidate cracks 50% of the primary vote, the top two finishers will face off for the nomination in a June 27 runoff election.

Another major test comes three days later, on May 19, in the primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, where Rep. Thomas Massie is facing a challenge from Trump-backed Ed Gallrein.

Massie has long been one of Trump’s most vocal GOP critics in Congress, repeatedly taking aim at the president over the Epstein files and foreign policy.

Trump allies have spent big bucks to boost Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL, and to take aim at Massie.

The president’s endorsement is also being tested in Georgia’s GOP gubernatorial nomination, which is being held on the same day, in the 2026 race to succeed popular term-limited conservative Gov. Brian Kemp.

Trump has endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is trading fire in a high-profile, competitive and combustible battle with healthcare executive and mega GOP donor Rick Jackson, who has infused millions of his own money in his bid. Among the others battling for the nomination in a crowded Republican field are state Attorney General Chris Carr and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

While MAGA enjoyed a big night in Indiana, there were more midterm warning signs for the GOP in neighboring Michigan, a key Midwestern battleground state.

Republicans were hoping to flip a Democrat-controlled vacant state Senate seat in a special election, where the Democratic majority in the chamber was on the line.

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But Republican candidate Jason Tunney was trounced by Democrat Chedrick Greene in the showdown in Michigan’s 35th Senate District, for a competitive seat in Midland and Saginaw in the central part of Michigan’s lower peninsula.

Greene’s victory was the latest overperformance by Democrats in special elections and off-year contests in the more than 15 months since Trump returned to the White House, energizing them as they work to flip the GOP majorities in the U.S. House and Senate in this autumn’s midterm elections.

President Donald Trump fired back at reporting of rising costs of building his $400 million White House ballroom, saying that figure remains the top of the price range.

“The White House Ballroom is going up rapidly on the East side of the White House,” Trump wrote Wednesday morning on Truth Social. “The only reason the cost has changed is because, after deep rooted studies, it is approximately twice the size, and a far higher quality, than the original proposal, which would not have been adequate to handle the necessary events, meetings, and even future Inaugurations.

“The original price was 200 Million Dollars, the double sized, highest quality completed project will be something less than 400 Million Dollars. It will be magnificent, safe, and secure!

“This was a necessary change, it was done long ago, but the Fake News failed to report it, trying to make it look like there was a cost overrun. Actually, it is coming in ahead of schedule, and under budget!”

REPUBLICANS SLIP $1 BILLION IN TAXPAYER MONEY FOR TRUMP BALLROOM SECURITY IN ICE, BORDER PATROL PACKAGE

The latest reporting on alleged rising costs comes from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, tagging a $1 billion appropriation for the “East Wing Modernization Project” at the bottom of Republicans’ budget reconciliation package Trump hopes to sign by June 1.

That item includes more than just the ballroom and even specifies: “None of the funds made available under this section may be used for non-security elements of the East Wing Modernization Project.”

The bill’s outlay on the final page of the Senate Judiciary Committee reconciliation bill appropriates “$1,000,000,000 to remain available until September 30, 2029, for the purposes of security adjustments and upgrades, including within the perimeter fence of the White House Compound to support enhancements by the United States Secret Service relating to the East Wing Modernization Project, including above-ground and below-ground security features.”

Trump contends that is a military, national security and White House expenditure, while the $400 million ballroom remains merely a piece planted on top of the upgraded enhancements to the grounds.

TRUMP TEARS DOWN EAST WING FOR $300M BALLROOM AHEAD OF HIGH-STAKES CHINA MEETING

That distinction is now at the center of the dispute. Trump’s post framed the ballroom itself as under budget, saying the higher price reflects a deliberate expansion approved “long ago.” An NBC News report focused on whether the overall project could still impose a major taxpayer cost through security work, even if private donors cover the ballroom’s construction.

The National Capital Planning Commission approved preliminary and final site and building plans for the East Wing Modernization Project on April 2. NCPC staff described the project as a permanent, secure event space intended to increase capacity for official state functions and reduce reliance on temporary tents and support facilities.

The approved plan includes an approximately 22,000-square-foot ballroom designed for roughly 1,000 seated dinner guests, within about 89,000 square feet of above-ground East Wing space.

The White House has increasingly emphasized security as a justification for the project, particularly after Trump faced an unprecedented third assassination attempt last month at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton.

A White House spokesperson praised the proposed funding as necessary to help the Secret Service “fully and completely harden the White House complex,” according to NBC. Democrats quoted by NBC called the proposal a reversal of Trump’s earlier pledge that the ballroom would not cost taxpayers anything.

REPUBLICANS RUSH TO GREEN LIGHT WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM FOLLOWING THIRD TRUMP ASSASSINATION SCARE

The project remains politically and legally contentious. Senate Democrats plan to try to strip the $1 billion provision from the reconciliation bill when it reaches the Senate floor, but Republicans are fully expecting no Democrat votes for it regardless.

Construction has resumed while the legal fight plays out. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon issued a preliminary injunction in March blocking further work on the White House ballroom, ruling that the administration could not proceed without congressional authorization, but the D.C. Circuit later kept the injunction on hold while it considers the case.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which is challenging the project, says the appeals court has scheduled a June 5 hearing and extended the stay until then, meaning construction can continue for now.

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The broader question now is whether lawmakers and courts will treat the ballroom and its associated security infrastructure as separable — as Republicans’ bill language argues — or as parts of a single White House expansion whose public cost could exceed Trump’s repeated private-funding assurances.

Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Madison Sheahan finished third in her Ohio Republican congressional primary Tuesday night, handing ICE critics a talking point but leaving Republican officials convinced they have the right candidate to flip a battleground seat.

Sheahan’s loss to former state Rep. Derek Merrin brings relief to Republicans concerned about her electability against Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio.

Kaptur is the longest-serving woman in congressional history and a top National Republican Congressional Committee target in the midterms as a potential seat to flip in the battle for the narrow House majority. The House is currently 218-212, with five vacancies and one independent who caucuses with the GOP.

“40-year career politician Marcy Kaptur has failed Ohioans for decades and Northwest Ohioans are ready for change,” NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon told Fox News on Wednesday morning.

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“While Kaptur has pushed a radical far-left agenda of higher taxes, open borders, and sex change surgeries for kids, Derek Merrin is set to flip the seat red in order to deliver commonsense leadership and real results.”

Merrin won 44.1% of the vote, according to the latest Associated Press election results, with state Rep. Josh Williams second (24.3%) and Sheahan third (20.2%).

The northwest Ohio 9th Congressional District has been identified as one of the Republicans’ best pickup opportunities in the midterms.

Merrin’s win sets up a rematch with Kaptur, who has represented the Toledo-area seat since 1983 and eked out a 2024 victory by just 0.64%, with Merrin losing by just 2,382 votes. Trump carried the district by seven points in 2024 and Kaptur’s narrow re-election margin last cycle makes the seat especially vulnerable.

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Sheahan, 29, entered the race after leaving her post as deputy director of ICE in January, leaning heavily into her work carrying out President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda. The former aide to South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem hailed her record at ICE in her campaign launch video, saying she was best suited to flip Kaptur’s seat due to immigration enforcement experience.

“In Washington, hypocrisy, excuses and failure can earn you a lifetime job,” she said. “But on my family farm, that would have put us out of business.”

But her pitch did not break through in a primary where local analysts said voters appeared more focused on economic issues, including manufacturing jobs and tariffs. Merrin also began the race with stronger name recognition locally. Sheahan, a native of tiny Curtice, Ohio, near the shores of Lake Erie, labeled herself “a Trump conservative,” but had just recently moved back to the area after leaving ICE and spending time in Louisiana and South Dakota.

DEM LAWMAKER SENDS WARNING TO KRISTI NOEM THAT ‘GOD WILL JUDGE YOU’ IN FIERY CONFRONTATION OVER ICE OPERATIONS

The result avoids what some Republicans privately viewed as a potentially riskier general-election matchup. While immigration remains a motivating issue for GOP voters, Sheahan’s association with ICE came as the agency faced heightened scrutiny over aggressive enforcement tactics, including fatal shootings by immigration officers earlier this year.

“There hasn’t been an enormous amount of chatter about her,” Democrat operative Aaron Pickrell told The Washington Post. “Even within Ohio Republican politics, immigration does not seem like the driving factor.”

Her loss also suggests that Trump’s immigration platform, while still central to the Republican brand, may not be enough by itself to carry a candidate through a competitive primary in a battleground House district.

TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN THE SPOTLIGHT AHEAD OF MIDTERMS AS FATAL MN SHOOTINGS IGNITE BACKLASH

“In less than one year at ICE, I’ve stopped more illegal immigration than Marcy Kaptur has in her 43 years in Washington,” Sheahan said in her January campaign launch video alongside Noem in ICE garb.

“So when the call came to help President Trump clean up the dangerous immigration mess, as deputy director of ICE, I answered the call.”

While Democrats will attempt to point to the ICE ties as being an unpopular electoral issue this cycle, immigration enforcement “is still a winning issue for Republicans” in the district, state and nationally, a GOP operative told the Post.

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Immigration “does fire up the base in districts like that, especially in a low-turnout election when you need low-propensity Trump voters,” the operative added. “This issue galvanizes them.”

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and The Associated Press contributed to this report.