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The United States Department of Agriculture is demanding that states ensure illegal immigrants are not using food stamps.

The department wants states to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order from February that seeks improved methods to check that those in the country illegally do not receive federal benefits, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The measure is meant to crack down on fraud and serve as a safeguard because illegal immigrants are already not allowed to use SNAP benefits. Only citizens and some legal noncitizens can do so.

“We’ve already made arrests in Minnesota and New York and Colorado, and we’re just getting started,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told Fox News Digital in an interview.

AMERICAN FARMERS HAVE A VOICE IN WASHINGTON AGAIN

“We’re going to be extremely, extremely aggressive. Now, hopefully it acts as a deterrent also.”

The USDA is asking states to cross-check Social Security numbers with a death master file and to use the free Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system provided by the Department of Homeland Security for noncitizens applying for the benefits, among other steps to verify immigration status.

Rollins said it’s “the president’s vision to ensure that we’re being the most efficient and effective with taxpayer dollars.”

SNAP RECIPIENTS MAY BE BARRED FROM JUNK FOOD PURCHASES UNDER NEW HOUSE GOP BILL

“So, we think we’ll be able to cut down on billions of fraud and save the taxpayers a lot of money,” she said. 

John Walk, acting deputy under secretary for food, nutrition, and consumer services, wrote in a letter Thursday to state SNAP agencies, explaining the existing law. 

“By law, only United States citizens and certain lawfully present aliens may receive SNAP benefits. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-193) established that ‘aliens within the Nation’s borders not depend on public resources to meet their needs.’  SNAP is not and has never been available to illegal aliens,” Walk wrote. 

The crackdown comes as there is heightened scrutiny on the eligibility of illegal immigrants for benefits, such as California’s Medicaid program that allows people to enroll without their immigration status being considered, even though it’s funded by state and federal taxpayer dollars.

California Republicans have said illegal immigrants’ eligibility in the program is responsible for its insolvency, whereas Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said it’s only a factor in a larger healthcare cost issue nationwide.

MILLIONS MORE FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS REQUIRED TO WORK UNDER NEW HOUSE GOP PROPOSAL

“The federal government is now paying attention a lot more closely than ever before on how the states are spending the money,” Rollins said. “I am from Texas. I actually have a lot of confidence in the Texas system. I think the red states, honestly, are probably a little more intentional and careful about this. Of course, it’s the blue states that tend to want to put everyone on the taxpayers’ back. And I think that we’ll find a lot more of that moving forward, but hopefully it’s a deterrence for everyone.” 

Outside of immigration, SNAP has also faced calls for reform in several states to no longer allow the purchase of “junk food.” Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders recently asked the USDA to allow the state to prohibit the purchase of candy and soda with SNAP benefits, while adding rotisserie chicken to the list of available options. 

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“President Trump and his administration have put a laser focus on solving America’s chronic disease epidemic, and reforming our food stamp program is a great place to start,” Sanders said in a news release April 15. 

“Banning soda and candy from food stamps will remove some of the least healthy, most processed foods from the program and encourage low-income Arkansans to eat better.” 

The Trump administration is cracking down on colleges that don’t report big foreign donations, with UC Berkeley the latest target following a Department of Education review of the California university’s foreign funding disclosures found that it “may be incomplete or inaccurate.”

Education Secretary Linda McMahon ordered the agency’s legal team on Friday to take back control of enforcing a law that requires schools to disclose foreign gifts or contracts worth $250,000 or more.

“The Biden-Harris Administration turned a blind eye to colleges and universities’ legal obligations by deprioritizing oversight and allowing foreign gifts to pour onto American campuses. Despite widespread compliance failures, no new Section 117 investigations were initiated for four years, and ongoing investigations were closed prematurely,” McMahon said in a statement. “I have great confidence in my Office of General Counsel to investigate these matters fully, and they will begin by thoroughly examining UC Berkeley’s apparent failure to fully and accurately disclose significant funding received from foreign sources.” 

YALE DROPS ALLEGED HAMAS-TIED STUDENT GROUP’S STATUS AFTER ‘DISTURBING ANTISEMITIC CONDUCT’

The investigation comes amid Trump’s growing scrutiny over foreign influence in U.S. higher education. 

This week, Trump signed an executive order tightening rules on how colleges report foreign funding, directing the Education Department to undo past policies that let universities “obscure details regarding their foreign funding” and to make schools fully disclose where that money comes from and what it’s for. 

The Department of Education said this issue gained attention after reports surfaced in 2023 that Berkeley failed to report hundreds of millions of dollars it received from China.

EVEN BEFORE TRUMP’S ENGAGEMENT, HARVARD UNDERSTOOD IT HAD A REAL PROBLEM ON THE ANTISEMITISM SIDE, EXPERT SAYS 

In response to a federal inquiry at the time, Berkeley admitted it didn’t report $220 million received and showed it had been building a long-term financial relationship with foreign government-controlled entities, while also “misunderstanding its legal duty to disclose that funding,” the department disclosed in a news release.

An Education Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital they initiated a records request into Harvard for foreign funding last week. 

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A White House fact sheet this week cited a Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations report showing nearly $60 billion in foreign gifts and contracts have flowed into universities over several decades, often with little oversight. Federal officials say only a fraction of the country’s roughly 6,000 institutions report such funding.

“President Trump is ending secrecy surrounding foreign funding in higher education to protect students, research, and the marketplace of ideas,” the fact sheet reads.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem revealed in a podcast this week how her purse was snatched at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., describing it as “professionally done.” 

The purse was taken Sunday by a White man wearing a mask, and the bag contained $3,000 in cash as well as personal documents including her passport, keys, driver’s license and a DHS badge, an agency spokesperson confirmed.  

“It was kind of shocking, actually, because it was sitting right by my feet. I actually felt my purse, he hooked it with his foot and drug it a few steps away and dropped a coat over it and took it,” Noem said on the “VINCE Show.” 

“I felt it, but I thought it was my grandkids kicking me in the legs. But it was very professionally done, and it tells that this happens all the time to people and that they live in communities where this is a danger and it reaffirms why I am here,” she added. “My job is to make sure that I do everything, every day I can to make our communities safer and President Trump recognizes that families shouldn’t have to live with any kind of violence in their lives.” 

NOEM’S PURSE WAS STOLEN DAYS AFTER SIMILAR INCIDENT JUST BLOCKS AWAY: REPORT 

A Homeland Security spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital that Noem’s “entire family was in town including her children and grandchildren — she was using the withdrawal to treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts.” 

Noem said during the podcast interview that she isn’t sure why she was targeted, but an investigation is ongoing. 

NOEM’S PURSE STOLEN WITH THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN DC RESTAURANT: SOURCES 

“I think I was a busy grandma with four grandkids under the age of 4, and I was taking care of them and feeding them food and enjoying my family, but certainly had my purse even touching my feet and that is how vulnerable people can be,” she said. 

“So I think we need to be aware, but also be making sure there is consequences for people like that that make a living off of harming other people,” Noem added. 

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A woman dining with her family recently had her purse stolen in downtown Washington, D.C., just a few blocks away from the restaurant where Noem’s handbag was swiped, NBC News also reported this week. 

Fox News’ Cameron Arcand contributed to this report. 

Florida Republicans are embroiled in a civil war — Gov. Ron DeSantis has excoriated state House leadership, accusing them of revolting against voters who sent them to the legislative chamber and pursuing a “swamp-centric agenda,” while Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez has lambasted DeSantis, asserting that the governor has “become the swamp.”

With massive majorities in both chambers of the legislature and control of the governorship, Republicans dominate the political landscape in the Sunshine State.

But in a recent post on X, the governor asserted that “the FL House leadership is at war with the voters who provided the supermajority in the first place.”

“They do not want to see Florida continue on the conservative path,” DeSantis told Fox News Digital during an interview on Wednesday. “They’re doing things to empower the left.”

“Republican voters are wondering, what the hell is going on in the Florida House of Representatives,” he said.

DESANTIS REBUKES REPUBLICANS FOR BACKING BILL FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION TASK FORCE: ‘ABSOLUTELY EMBARRASSING’

“I think that what they’re doing is a formula for Florida to return to becoming a swing state. The reason why we went from a purple state to a red state under my tenure is because we drew sharp contrasts with the left and we defeated the left on issue after issue,” DeSantis declared. 

“The House is run based on fear and retribution,” he said.

Perez, a Republican, pushed back in a lengthy statement provided to Fox News Digital on Friday morning.

“Unfortunately, what we’ve seen in Florida is a Governor who’s turned into exactly what he promised to fight — he’s become the swamp. His latest attacks are nothing more than a distraction from the gross financial mismanagement happening under his watch. We’re talking about thousands of missing state vehicles, $160 million unaccounted for at AHCA [Florida Agency for Health Care Administration], and a growing list of problems across agencies and boards — all controlled by the Governor,” Perez declared in the statement.

“While the Florida House remains the most conservative body in the Legislature — passing a budget billions lower than the Governor’s, approving larger tax cuts than the Governor, and pushing bold conservative policies like repealing gun laws and passing E-Verify — the Governor seems uninterested in a conservative Legislature. He wants a compliant one. After seven years in office, it’s clear he doesn’t want people asking hard questions, especially after neglecting his duties while running for president,” he continued.

“We are proud to advance conservative reforms, but we won’t cover up mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. The Governor’s comments about retribution are deeply hypocritical. His entire governing style is based on fear and intimidation — if you don’t do what he says or have a difference of opinion he views that as treason. All he does is attack people who disagree with him. I’ve repeatedly indicated my willingness to work with the Governor and all he’s done is insult and attack Members of the House,” Perez added.

SUNSHINE STATE DEM ANNOUNCES SWITCH TO NO AFFILIATION: ‘DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN FLORIDA IS DEAD’

DeSantis — a former U.S. congressman who was a House Freedom Caucus founding member — notched a dominant gubernatorial re-election victory in 2022.

He mounted a presidential bid in 2023, but ultimately dropped out and endorsed Donald Trump in 2024 after Trump, a GOP juggernaut, scored a huge win in the Iowa GOP presidential caucus.

Before he leaves office, the governor has his sights set on seeking a constitutional amendment to lower, or even abolish, property taxes placed before voters. 

“Property taxes are local, not state. So we’d need to do a constitutional amendment (requires 60% of voters to approve) to eliminate them (which I would support) or even to reform/lower them,” DeSantis noted earlier this year in a post on X. 

“We should put the boldest amendment on the ballot that has a chance of getting that 60%,” he noted, adding, “I agree that taxing land/property is the more oppressive and ineffective form of taxation.”

The governor explained to Fox News Digital that “the philosophical underpinning is, do you have private property or not?”

He noted that if someone owns property outright but still has to pay property taxes, “you’re basically paying rent … to the government.” 

DeSantis pointed out that property taxes “basically tax unrealized gains,” commensurate with increased property value assessments by local government.

“And so you have to pay taxes at a higher basis, even though you never sold the house for that much. There’s never been a market transaction that says your house is worth that much,” he said.

ABOLISH PROPERTY TAXES? DESANTIS ENDORSES THE IDEA AND EXPLAINS HOW IT COULD BE DONE IN FLORIDA

The governor is committed to seeing a property tax proposal presented to voters before he leaves office.

DeSantis indicated that if he feels the state legislature would not consider putting the matter before voters, a citizens’ initiative could be the path to get it on the ballot. But that would require the collection of vast quantities of signatures, and the governor suggested that it would be easier if the legislature acts, though he does not know that lawmakers will do so.

“Why would we not … just do it, right?” he said after noting the GOP’s dominance in the state legislature. 

“I think that they’ve just taken the position that they really don’t give a damn in the Florida House what their voters think,” he declared.

Perez said in his statement to Fox News Digital, “As for property taxes, the Governor introduced the topic months ago, yet has failed to offer a plan, language, or even a basic explanation. Property taxes in Florida are controlled at the local level, but if he wants to bring a constitutional proposal forward, the House is ready to put it on the floor tomorrow. This Legislature has debated bold reforms to property taxes for two decades.

“The truth about late-term Ron DeSantis is that he talks a big game but waits for others to do the work. [Georgia Gov. Brian] Kemp opened his state first after COVID — Ron took credit. [Texas Gov. Greg] Abbott led on immigration — Ron took credit. It’s no different here. If he truly wants action, he should do the work, not just hold empty press conferences.”

FLORIDA GOVERNOR SPOTLIGHTS TIMELY GOLF OUTING HE AND CASEY DESANTIS HAD WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP

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DeSantis, who is currently serving his second term, is not eligible to run again in 2026, and Trump has already endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., in the gubernatorial contest.

Asked by Fox News Digital whether he thinks he will make an endorsement in the race, the governor indicated that he will be “involved,” but noted that it’s still quite early in the election season.

DeSantis suggested that the state House has shown in recent months that Florida’s “success is very fragile.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has crisscrossed the United States with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, and Americans are speculating about whether the New York Democrat is launching a shadow campaign for president. 

Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign account posted a video on X this week that invigorated those rumors as the four-term Democrat from New York City and a progressive leader proclaimed, “We are one.”

“I’m a girl from the Bronx,” Ocasio-Cortez said on a campaign-style stage in Idaho. “To be welcomed here in this state, all of us together, seeing our common cause, this is what this country is all about.”

FiveThirtyEight founder and prominent pollster Nate Silver signaled earlier this month that Ocasio-Cortez is the leading Democrat to pick up the party’s presidential nomination in 2028. In a draft 2028 pick with FiveThirtyEight’s Galen Druke, Silver chose Ocasio-Cortez as his top choice to lead the Democratic Party’s presidential ticket. 

POLLSTER NATE SILVER CALLS OCASIO-CORTEZ MOST LIKELY TO BE 2028 DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE

“I think there’s a lot of points in her favor at this very moment,” Druke said, adding, “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has broad appeal across the Democratic Party.”

Americans are reposting Ocasio-Cortez’s video across X, pointing to the video as proof of her 2028 presidential ambitions. “Get ready America. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will almost undoubtedly run for president in 2028,” political reporter Eric Daugherty said in response to the video. 

SCHUMER SINKS, AOC SOARS IN NEW POLL AS LIBERAL VOTERS DEMAND HARDER LINE ON TRUMP

As rumors swirl over Ocasio-Cortez’s ambition for higher office, back at home in New York, a Siena College poll found Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s favorability is down, at 39% among New York state voters questioned in the poll, which was conducted April 14-16. Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez’s favorability soared to 47%. 

The longtime senator from New York faced pushback from the Democratic Party in March for supporting the Republican budget bill backed by President Donald Trump that averted a government shutdown and stirred up outrage among congressional Democrats who planned to boycott the bill.

That growing disapproval among Democrats was reflected in the poll, and the shifting perception comes as DNC vice chair David Hogg, through his political arm, Leaders We Deserve, faced blowback from the DNC this week for investing $20 million into electing younger Democrats to safe House Democrat seats. 

Colin Reed, a Republican strategist, said Ocasio-Cortez “shouldn’t be discounted” by Democrats “who are standing in her way” of running for whichever office she decides to seek – whether as a U.S. senator or President of the United States. 

While Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders are garnering national attention as they jetset across the country, Reed said their passion and energy might invigorate the progressive portion of the Democratic Party, but “her ideas are way too outside the mainstream to ever be electable at a nationwide level.”

“Ultimately, in a Democratic base there’s always going to be a percentage of voters who are drawn to that message. The issue they run to is it’s just not the majority of Americans. The majority of Americans don’t want to transform our country into some sort of ‘European-style government rules all’ vision. That’s why America was founded in the first place – to get away from oppression, from an overbearing, overreaching government,” Reed said. 

As Democrats struggle to land on a consistent message and search for a clear party leader following Republicans’ November wins, there is an opportunity within the party to dominate the national Democratic narrative, Reed explained. 

“Chaos loves a vacuum, and right now, there is a vacuum in leadership in the Democratic Party, and thus chaos is ruling the roost,” Reed said. 

“As long as those two are out there, they’re going to get attention because nobody else is doing anything. The house of cards will come crumbling down, especially when you’ve got two folks out there, Senator Sanders and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, holding themselves out as climate warriors as they jet around the country on private jets spewing untold carbon emissions into the air. That hypocrisy is one that’s tough for a lot of folks’ stomachs,” Reed added. 

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Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment by deadline. 

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

Did they or didn’t they?

President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday that he has spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping “many times” but did not say if any of those communications took place since he imposed stiff tariffs on the communist nation. 

Asked for details about those communications, Trump responded by saying “I’ll let you know at the appropriate time.”

TRUMP HINTS AT CUTTING CHINA TARIFFS ‘SUBSTANTIALLY’ FROM 145% 

Trump’s latest comments, which took place before he boarded Marine One to travel to Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral, come after days of back and forth between the countries over whether they are in direct talks about reducing the tariffs – and whether Trump and Xi have spoken directly to one another since the tariffs were rolled out. 

Trump’s tariffs on China, which have rattled global stock markets and upended supply chains, have ballooned to 145% while China has responded by slapping a 125% tariff on its U.S. imports. 

In a newly published TIME article published Friday morning, Trump is quoted as saying that Xi personally called him to discuss trade matters. 

“He’s called. And I don’t think that’s a sign of weakness on his behalf,” Trump is quoted as saying, without providing specifics about the timing or content of the call.

When asked what Xi said, Trump sidestepped his response by saying “We all want to make deals. But I am this giant store. It’s a giant, beautiful store, and everybody wants to go shopping there. And on behalf of the American people, I own the store, and I set prices, and I’ll say, if you want to shop here, this is what you have to pay.”

CHINA ACCUSES US OF ‘BULLYING’ THE WORLD WITH TARIFFS AT UN MEETING 

“You have to understand, I’m dealing with all the companies, very friendly countries,” he said, when asked about trade adviser Peter Navarro, saying 90 deals in 90 days is possible. “We’re meeting with China. We’re doing fine with everybody. But ultimately, I’ve made all the deals.”

The TIME interview took place on Tuesday, with Trump saying publicly on the same day that things were going “fine with China” and that the final tariff rate on Chinese exports would come down “substantially” from the current 145%.

Trump also told reporters earlier in the week that “everything’s active” when asked if he was engaging with China, although his treasury secretary had said there were no formal negotiations.

Those comments led to Beijing on Thursday denying any suggestion that it was in active negotiations with the administration.

Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said during a daily briefing on Thursday that, “For all I know, China and the U.S. are not having any consultation or negotiation on tariffs, still less reaching a deal.”

“China’s position is consistent, and we are open to consultations and dialogues, but any form of consultations and negotiations must be conducted on the basis of mutual respect and in an equal manner,” Commerce Ministry spokesperson He Yadong said.

Asked Thursday about China denying there were any conversations ongoing with the United States, Trump said, “We may reveal it later, but they had meetings this morning, and we’ve been meeting with China,” before adding, “it doesn’t matter who they is.”

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Trump said Tuesday that the hefty tax rate of 145% Americans must currently pay for Chinese imports will likely be reduced significantly.  

While Trump said the rate “won’t be zero,” he expressed optimism over a potential trade deal with China. 

“One hundred forty-five percent is very high, and it won’t be that high,” Trump said to reporters in the Oval Office. “It will come down substantially, but it won’t be zero.” 

Fox News’ Greg Norman, Bonny Chu and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., blocked a portion of President Donald Trump’s executive order on election integrity that is popular among Americans, according to a Gallup poll.

The portion of the order that Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia struck down included provisions related to requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.

TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON VOTING BLOCKED BY FEDERAL JUDGE AMID FLURRY OF LEGAL SETBACKS

Less than two weeks before the 2024 election, Gallup found that 84% of U.S. adults were in favor of requiring voters to show identification and 83% supported requiring proof of citizenship when registering for the first time. 

When broken down by party, 67% of Democrats, 84% of Independents and 98% of Republicans were in favor of mandating voter ID. The party breakdown over proof of citizenship was similar, with 66% of Democrats, 84% of Independents and 96% of Republicans supporting the idea.

CITIZENSHIP VOTER REGISTRATION BILL IS ‘COMMON SENSE,’ GOP LAWMAKER ARGUES

Kollar-Kotelly, however, argued that Trump did not have the authority to issue such an order, as the Constitution delegates control of election regulations to Congress and states.

“Consistent with that allocation of power, Congress is currently debating legislation that would affect many of the changes the President purports to order,” Kollar-Kotelly, a Clinton appointee, wrote in her order. “No statutory delegation of authority to the Executive Branch permits the President to short-circuit Congress’s deliberative process by executive order.”

Earlier this month, the House passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require states to obtain proof of citizenship for those registering to vote in a federal election. Additionally, the act mandates that all non-citizens be removed from voter rolls. The Senate still needs to pass the measure before it can reach Trump’s desk.

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Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who sponsored the bill in the House, wrote, “In order to preserve this republic, we must uphold what it means to be able to vote in a U.S. election. I am grateful that my colleagues answered the call and passed the SAVE Act, as this serves as a critical first step to ensure that we maintain election integrity throughout our country.”

So far in 2025, five states have enacted voter ID requirements, and one has mandated proof of citizenship for registration, according to Voting Rights Lab. Additionally, 25 states are considering bills that would mandate proof of citizenship, while 40 are mulling legislation requiring voter ID.

While all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories are all currently in compliance ahead of the federal deadline of May 7, REAL ID was once roundly opposed by several state governments.

As soon as two years after the law’s 2005 passage by President George W. Bush, several state leaders had already expressed objections to complying with the nationwide standard.

Then-Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat, called REAL ID a “harebrained scheme” in a 2008 NPR interview.

“[W]e are putting up with the federal government on so many fronts, and nearly every month they come out with another… unfunded mandate to tell us that our life is going to be better if we’ll just buckle under on some other kind of rule or regulation,” Schweitzer said.

NO ‘REAL ID’ APPOINTMENTS OPEN IN NEW JERSEY AS RESIDENTS SOUND OFF: ‘GET WITH THE TIMES, NJ’

“And we usually just play along for a while, we ignore them for as long as we can, and we try not to bring it to a head. But if it comes to a head, we found that it’s best to just tell them to go to hell and run the state the way you want to run your state.”

One year prior, Schweitzer signed a law banning Montana’s DMV from enforcing REAL ID stipulations, calling it a “threat to privacy” in a letter to then-Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, also a Democrat. 

Not too far west in Washington state, fellow Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire signed similar legislation that required the feds to appropriate $250 million to cover the unfunded mandate.

“[E]ven worse, it doesn’t protect the privacy of the citizens of Washington,” Gregoire claimed when signing the bill.

On the Republican side, then-Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett signed a law in 2008 halting PennDOT’s implementation of REAL ID.

“Neither the governor nor the Department of Transportation or any other Commonwealth agency shall participate in the REAL ID Act of 2005 or regulations promulgated thereunder,” Act 38’s text read.

The policy was later reversed by Act 3 of 2017, signed by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.

‘MASS SURVEILLANCE’: CONSERVATIVES SOUND ALARM OVER TRUMP ADMIN’S REAL ID ROLLOUT

Meanwhile, New Jersey has the lowest reported compliance with REAL ID, according to a CBS News analysis, with only 17% of the population having one – and many complaining of not enough bandwidth for the state to handle the number of applications.

On Wednesday, Kentucky Republican state Sen. Jimmy Higdon, wrote to DHS asking for an extension to the May 7 enforcement date, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.

State compliance with REAL ID means that a state has met the federal security standards outlined by DHS for the actual issuance of drivers’ licenses. Since all states have done so, they are considered compliant. 

Because the program is optional for the licenseholder – due to the alternatives, like passports – an insufficient proportion of residents not having REAL IDs does not affect statistical state compliance.

REAL ID requirements, endeavored out of a post-9/11 national security law from then-Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., dictate that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will no longer accept a photo-ID that does not have a star in the upper corner denoting verification, unless it is a passport. 

To become verified, Americans must provide Social Security information or other personal identifiers.

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The law’s implementation date has been delayed several times, due to COVID and concerns about varied state compliance and states’ abilities to summon the necessary resources to meet federal standards.

Fox News Digital reached out for comment from the current governors of the three states referenced: Democrat Bob Ferguson of Washington, Republican Greg Gianforte of Montana and Democrat Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania.

A new bill in the Golden State would allow homeless community college and state university students to sleep in their cars during the blue state’s housing crisis. 

A Public Policy Institute of California report found California has among the lowest homeownership rates and the most expensive housing in the U.S., with rent about 50% higher than the national median. 

The California bill seeks to provide a short-term solution to the state’s decades-long housing strife. 

Assemblymember Corey Jackson, a progressive California Democrat with a doctorate in social work, proposed a bill in March that would require the chancellors of the California state universities and the governing board of each community college district to develop an overnight parking program with “basic needs coordinators and campus security” by late 2026. 

CALIFORNIA MAYOR WANTS TO GIVE HOMELESS PEOPLE ‘ALL THE FENTANYL THEY WANT’: ‘NEED TO PURGE THESE PEOPLE’

“This bill confronts a harsh reality to many of our students who are sleeping in their vehicles or other displaced settings as they are unable to find affordable housing, and that’s jeopardizing their education,” Jackson said. “What I am proposing is practical, immediate relief, overnight parking programs that turn campus lots into safe, temporary havens while the state works on lasting solutions.”

Almost three out of five California community college students are housing insecure and one in four are homeless, a survey conducted by the Community College League of California in 2023 found. 

CALIFORNIA CAREER POLITICIAN BARBARA LEE WINS MAYOR RACE IN EMBATTLED OAKLAND

“We are in a housing crisis. We are in a homelessness crisis, and it’s not an either or approach. It’s a both and all of the above approach,” Jackson said. 

Many legislative proposals in California this year seek to fund student housing or cut through building regulation red tape, but Jackson aims to provide immediate relief for college students grappling with the housing crisis. 

Jackson, who acknowledged stakeholders’ disapproval of his bill, proposed a similar one during last year’s legislative session, but it failed. Its 2025 version, however, passed the Assembly Higher Education Committee this year. 

The bill has yet to face its first committee review and is already grabbing national attention as conservatives and progressives question what’s happening to California’s housing market. 

“After wrecking affordability in California, Democrats have nothing left but bad ideas,” California Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher told Fox News Digital in a statement. “They’re now proposing to let students sleep in cars because they can’t fix the housing crisis they created. This isn’t innovation. It’s desperation from a party that spent decades raising costs, blocking new housing and wasting billions on programs that failed. Letting students live in parking lots isn’t a solution. It’s proof their policies have completely collapsed.”

When reached for comment by Fox News Digital, Newsom’s office said it does not typically comment on pending legislation. 

“California is bucking not only national increases but reversing long-term trends in the state from decades of inaction prior to this administration. California’s progress in addressing homelessness is outperforming the nation,” a Newsom spokesperson said. 

Newsom’s office, citing 2024 records, stressed that homelessness is increasing nationwide by more than 18%, while California’s national trend is closer to 3%, lower than 40 other states. Newsom also touted the state’s more than 71,000 year-round shelter beds, which a spokesperson said is double the amount created during the 5-year period prior to the Newsom administration.

But that hasn’t stopped the criticism of Jackson’s bill. Fox News contributor Hugh Hewitt slammed the policy on “America’s Newsroom.”

“The problem in California is there are not enough homes and apartments. It’s a supply problem created over 50 years of no-growth, left-wing policies that are anti-housing. The solution is not to create homeless encampments, and each one of these will become that,” Hewitt said. “People are going to enroll in the community college for 18 bucks a credit, and then they’re going to put their car in the community college parking lot.”

Hewitt said these are the types of polices that drove people like him out of California “because it’s simply a broken state” with a “deep blue supermajority” and no ideas about how to build houses. 

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“Newsom should spend more time governing and addressing California’s housing crisis, so students don’t have to sleep in cars & less time launching his own podcast. [I don’t know] how he sees himself as a 2028 contender when he has totally FAILED to address voters’ top issue: AFFORDABILITY,” Brendan Hartnett, a progressive policy advisor, added on X. 

Hartnett was referring to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s podcast, which features a revolving door of Trump allies and conservative guests, including Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon, in an attempt to show he is open to “criticism and debate without demeaning or dehumanizing one another.” The strategy follows criticism after the 2024 presidential election that Democrats didn’t prioritize new media appearances and unscripted conversations enough. 

Florida state Sen. Jason Pizzo — who had been serving as state Senate Democratic Leader — announced that he is switching to no party affiliation.

State Sen. Lori Berman has been tapped to replace Pizzo as Senate Democratic Leader.

During a speech on Thursday, Pizzo declared that “the political party system here in Florida is nearly dead.” He asserted that the “Democratic Party in Florida is dead,” adding that “there are good people that can resuscitate it. But they don’t want it to be me.” 

He also said the Republican Party has many problems. 

DEMOCRAT REP. WILSON URGES PEOPLE TO CALL, THREATEN LAWMAKERS OVER UPTICK IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION DETENTIONS

Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried lambasted the state lawmaker.

“Jason Pizzo is one of the most ineffective and unpopular Democratic leaders in recent memory, and his resignation is one of the best things to happen to the party in years,” Fried asserted. “His legacy as leader includes continually disparaging the party base, starting fights with other members, and chasing his own personal ambitions at the expense of Democratic values.

“Jason’s failure to build support within our party for a gubernatorial run has led to this final embarrassing temper tantrum. I’d be lying if I said I’m sad to see him go, but I wish him the best of luck in the political wilderness he’s created for himself. The Florida Democratic Party is more united without him.”

TRUMP HAILS FLORIDA DEM’S DECISION TO DITCH PARTY, JOIN GOP: ‘THANK YOU HILLARY!’

Florida state Reps. Susan Valdés and Hillary Cassel both announced they were switching from Democrat to Republican last year.

Former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, who had served as a Republican, announced a switch to no party affiliation in 2018, though he was no longer in office at that time. 

But now Jolly has just changed his registration to Democrat, according to Politico.

DESANTIS WELCOMES FLORIDA STATE LAWMAKER TO REPUBLICAN PARTY AS SHE DITCHES DEMOCRATS

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Jolly has said he is “very seriously considering a run for governor,” according to the outlet.

EXCLUSIVE: Leaders of a progressive group in the New York City suburbs are looking to protest a front-line House Republican’s town hall on Sunday night — and Fox News Digital got an inside look at their plans.

Footage from the Indivisible Rockland Organizing Committee’s monthly meeting on Wednesday shows one of the group’s leaders discussing “potentially [having] thousands of people out front” of the event in West Nyack being held by Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., this weekend.

“It is a long street, and we’re trying to fill the entire street, so everyone coming into the rally will see people there and recognize it’s not going to be all, like, sunshine and daisies,” organizer Pascale Jean-Gilles can be seen saying.

Jean-Gilles is also a local elected official in Lawler’s district, serving on the Nyack Village Board of Trustees and as deputy mayor.

SENATE GOP PUSHES TRUMP BUDGET FRAMEWORK THROUGH AFTER MARATHON VOTE SERIES

“We want to be able to push back on some of the rules that we feel like are really cutting and chilling our First Amendment rights, like saying that we can’t record it. It’s a public meeting,” Jean-Gilles said.

The demonstration outside Lawler’s town hall will be a joint-organized effort as well, Jean-Gilles said, with “local unions” and other groups.

And while she made clear that her group was only behind the demonstration outside Lawler’s rally, the local elected official appeared to endorse disruptions inside the event as well.

She said the rally rules made it “very clear you cannot whoop or shout or yell,” but added, “There will be things we’re not gonna want to hear from him, and we should be able to make it known.”

“I think that it looks poorly upon him if he’s kicking people out for just booing him, because that is, as people have seen through thousands of Supreme Court cases, that’s an acceptable form of dissent, and it’s covered under First Amendment rights,” Jean-Gilles said. 

“Now, if people are shouting slurs and hate speech, that’s where I absolutely draw the line… that only feeds into his argument that we’re all crazy leftists and liberals, as opposed to people who live in this community.”

Jean-Gilles said she and other activists would also prepare suggested questions for town hall attendees.

“We are prepared, and this will be something we may hand out on the day of — a couple of us have been working on just questions that we think that folks will either want to ask, or maybe want to add their own personal twist to,” the official said. “So we’ll have those prepared for people, that just in case their number gets called, if you didn’t already think of one yourself, have a question that you can be prepared to ask.”

Indivisible is a national left-wing organization whose local offshoots have been targeting Republican town halls for much of this year, encouraging activists to disrupt the events from both inside and outside.

An event listed by Indivisible on the organizing platform Mobilize is advertising a full-day event beginning in New York City and ending at Lawler’s town hall on Sunday.

“Republicans are planning to cut Medicaid, SNAP, and other vital programs to fund massive tax cuts for billionaires. Congress will be home for April Recess and must hear from us,” the event summary read.

“Join other activists to inform constituents in NY17/Tarrytown of this outrageous bill, urge them to phone Rep. Lawler to oppose it as well as attending Rep. Lawler’s Town Hall on April 27. We’ll be taking Metro North to Tarrytown.”

Democrats are poised to pour enormous time and resources into New York’s 17th Congressional District, where Lawler is widely seen as one of the most vulnerable House Republicans of the 2026 election cycle.

MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE

When reached for comment on plans to disrupt the upcoming town hall, Lawler spokesman Ciro Riccardi told Fox News Digital, “It is deeply disappointing that far-left radical groups like Indivisible Rockland are planning to disrupt the upcoming town hall.”

“These actions undermine our democratic process by stifling civil debate, harming the very constituents who attend to discuss critical voter issues. We remain committed to fostering open, respectful dialogue and will take precautions to ensure a safe environment for all attendees,” Riccardi said.

Jean-Gilles referred Fox News Digital to the Indivisible Rockland Organizing Committee for comment. 

When reached, the group’s steering committee said it had received “hundreds” of messages from constituents who could not get into Lawler’s town hall.

“In response, we decided to organize a peaceful demonstration outside the venue. This demonstration is meant to give voice to those who were excluded from the room but still want to be part of the democratic process. We want to make it clear that we are not organizing or endorsing any protest activity inside the town hall,” Indivisible Rockland said. 

“It is also important to recognize the truth of the matter: This so-called town hall offers very limited opportunities for real public engagement. That is not right, it is not fair, and, in fact, it goes against the spirit of the Constitution.”

Regarding Jean-Gilles, specifically, the group noted she was hosting the event in a personal capacity unrelated to her government role.

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“Her comments during what was a private organizing meeting reflected the consensus of our group and not her official role or anything related to the governance of Nyack. She accurately underscored our values of free expression and clear boundaries against hate speech and harassment,” the group said.

“We hope Congressman Lawler does more than just see this demonstration. We hope he listens. The people showing up are his constituents. They are families, workers, students and neighbors who care deeply about this community and are demanding to be heard. This demonstration is not just a sign of civic involvement, it is a message: We are watching, we are engaged, and we expect better from those in power.”

Orange County, California, District Attorney Todd Spitzer said there was not a “plea deal” made in the case of an illegal immigrant convicted of manslaughter in the death of two teens after new scrutiny over the man’s early release from a California prison.

“A convicted felon who was twice previously deported is being released after serving just a fraction of his sentence for killing two 19-year-olds because California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature refuse to hold criminals accountable,” the Republican said in a news release Wednesday.

“This was not a plea deal. This was a defendant who pled to the court and was sentenced by a judge under California law, over the objection of Orange County prosecutors, who unsuccessfully argued for the maximum sentence.”

TWO FEDERAL JUDGES MAY HOLD TRUMP IN CONTEMPT AS HE DEFIES COURTS IN IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN

“California’s creative concoction of good time, education and other credits has resulted in criminals being released quicker than ever before, fulfilling Gov. Newsom’s plot to empty California’s prisons and put dangerous and violent felons back on the street,” Spitzer added.

Oscar Eduardo Ortega-Anguiano was driving drunk and high and speeding at nearly 100 mph on the 405 freeway in Orange County in November 2021, when he crashed into a car carrying 19-year-old Anya Varfolomeev and Nicholay Osokin. Both were killed and burned alive. In the spring of 2022, he was convicted of two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

The victims’ families were notified on Easter Sunday that Ortega-Anguiano would be released early on July 19, more than six years before his 10-year sentence is up.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CONVICTED OF KILLING TEENS IN HIGH-SPEED CRASH TO BE RELEASED EARLY: ‘IT’S DISGUSTING’

However, after Fox News’ reporting, Democratic Gov. Newsom’s office said it would comply with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer and transfer him into federal custody. The Department of Justice announced it was filing federal charges against him, and border czar Tom Homan said his agency would do everything possible to keep him in custody.

“After being deported in 2013, this individual unlawfully re-entered the US & committed heinous crimes. A GOP DA then gave him a plea deal instead of pursuing 2nd-degree murder. [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation] will again coordinate with ICE — as they have w/ 10,000+ inmates — to transfer him before release,” the governor’s press account tweeted on Wednesday afternoon. 

In response to Spitzer’s comment, the governor’s office told Fox News on background that district attorneys get a say in what charges are prosecuted in cases. The governor’s office said it was the Orange County District Attorney’s office that dropped great bodily injury enhancements and other charges. Still, it does not play a role in the fact that the individual was scheduled to be released several years sooner, which could have been a part of the state’s credit system to get out early. 

“For safety and security reasons, CDCR cannot provide information on an incarcerated person’s release date or location in advance of their release. Incarcerated persons may earn credits for participating in rehabilitative programming, which may move their parole dates to an earlier date,” the corrections department previously told Fox News.

TOP TRUMP OFFICIALS FILE CHARGES AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT AFTER FOX NEWS EXPOSES EARLY RELEASE PLANS

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On Thursday morning, Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, told “America’s Newsroom” why the DOJ is pursuing federal prosecution.

“This is what happens when you have an open border policy like we did in the prior administration. But those days are over. Under this administration, our borders are closed,” Essayli said.

“I’ve made it a top priority in my office, and I know throughout the United States, to enforce our immigration laws. So this defendant, he’s not gonna get free. He’s not going to be deported. He’s coming to my jurisdiction, and we’re gonna prosecute him. And once he’s convicted, he’s gonna spend many years in federal prison, and then he’ll be deported again.”

Slash and burn. 

Contracts and grants worth hundreds of millions of dollars were terminated over several days, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said Thursday, including one aimed at providing “problem-solving” services.

Federal agencies have eliminated 269 “wasteful” contracts with a “ceiling value of $845M and savings of $255M,” according to a DOGE post on X.

DAVID MARCUS: WHAT AMERICA OWES ELON MUSK AFTER DOGE

DOGE eliminated $90 million in grants, including $995,000 for “a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) culinary program” and $625,000 for a “Russian-Far East biodiversity partnership.”

One of the terminated contracts was a $50,000 Department of the Interior consulting contract to “provide facilitation and collaborative problem-solving services.”

FOX NEWS POLL: THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SECOND TERM

On Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi said some of the grants the Justice Department eliminated included $2 million for “national listening sessions of individuals with lived experience.”

Another was a $625,000 grant for “a parallel convergent mixed-methods case study research design to assess the efficacy of police departments’ LGBTQ liaison services.”

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DOGE, which is led by Elon Musk, has been aggressive in its mission to root out wasteful spending and to downsize the scope of the federal government. 

With the upcoming departure of longtime Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., in 2026, a battle will soon commence for his coveted role as Senate minority whip, the second-highest leadership role in the caucus next to Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer.

“There comes a point in your career when the torch must be passed, and I’ve reached that point,” Durbin said during a press conference in Springfield Thursday. “I will not be seeking re-election to this United States Senate seat.”

Several names have already been floated for the whip job, including some typically vocal senators and others whose quiet policy chops appear just as attractive.

One candidate mentioned has been Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz.

ZELDIN GRILLED BY DEMOCRATS ON CLIMATE CHANGE, TRUMP’S STANCE ON CARBON EMISSIONS DURING EPA HEARING

Schatz, 52, is in his third term and is Durbin’s current chief deputy whip as well as deputy conference secretary, a job involving communication and strategy for Senate Democrats.

He is also the top Democrat on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, given the Aloha State’s heavy native population.

Schatz has been active behind the scenes for liberals, placing holds on hundreds of Trump nominees for State Department positions in response to the president’s efforts to shutter USAID.

A former member of the Green Party in Hawaii, he is also considered a bridge between progressives and mainstream liberals.

A former top aide to previous Senate mainstays Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., told The Hill it’s hard to tell how leadership elections will go because they’re closed-door votes, but “as far as I can tell, Sen. Schatz seems to be in a pretty good position if he wants to take the leap.”

DICK DURBIN, NO 2 SENATE DEMOCRAT, WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., is rumored to be a possible successor to Durbin as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, according to Politico.

Whitehouse has raised his profile as another one of President Donald Trump’s loudest critics, regularly creating viral clips of combativeness with administration nominees in the various hearings he’s sat in on.

Another lawmaker mentioned is Washington Sen. Patty Murray, who had been third in line to the presidency until the GOP took back the Senate.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa., now holds that role, which is typically held by the longest-serving senator of the majority party.

Murray is also the top Democrat on the influential Senate Appropriations Committee.

Frequently called the “mom in tennis shoes” who ran for the Senate in 1992 as a relative political newcomer, Murray once said she and others “got into the U.S. Senate because we were mad.”

She lobbied officials in Olympia to save an education program from budget cuts when she was told “you can’t make a difference,” according to a biography from the Washington Secretary of State’s office.

That populist history, along with Murray’s long tenure and closeness with leadership, could also make her a lock to succeed Durbin.

Fox News Digital reached out to Schatz, Whitehouse and Murray for comment but did not immediately hear back.

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Durbin spoke tearfully about his decision to retire during a press conference outside the same Springfield home where he announced his first Senate run nearly 30 years ago.

He hearkened back to his risky move to give up a “safe House seat.”

“So, for the last 29 years, I’ve been vindicated that that decision paid off,” said Durbin.

“I love this job. I think it’s a terrific job, but I also know reality.”

An Obama-appointed federal judge in California who issued a ruling blocking the Trump administration from cutting funding to sanctuary cities has deep financial ties to the Democratic Party, records indicate.

The judge has also spoken at events in support of former Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama and held leadership roles on committees to elect Obama and John Kerry.

Judge William Orrick of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a ruling on Thursday that said President Donald Trump’s executive orders against sanctuary cities are unconstitutional.

Orrick said that Trump’s orders instructing Attorney General Pam Bondi and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to withhold federal funds from sanctuary cities and counties that do not cooperate with federal immigration law would violate the Constitution’s separation of powers principles and the Spending Clause, as well as the Fifth and 10th Amendments. 

PRESIDENT TRUMP BLASTS COURTS FOR GETTING IN THE WAY OF DEPORTATION AGENDA

The judge said Trump’s orders — titled “Protecting the American People Against Invasion” and “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders” — are “unconstitutionally vague and violate due process” and “impose coercive condition intended to commandeer local officials into enforcing federal immigration practices and law.”

Orrick wrote that “the threat to withhold funding causes them irreparable injury in the form of budgetary uncertainty, deprivation of constitutional rights, and undermining trust between the Cities and Counties and the communities they serve.” 

According to donation records stored in the Federal Election Commission database, Orrick, who was nominated by Obama in 2012, has donated $113,600 to Democratic candidates and committees throughout the years.

Democrats that Orrick has donated to include Obama, Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton and Diane Feinstein.

MEXICAN POLICE BRING IN MAJOR CARTEL BOSS IN ICE-ASSISTED RAID: ‘MAJOR MILESTONE’

Orrick made two donations to the Obama Victory Fund of $2,300 and $28,500 in 2008. He has also contributed a total of $53,500 to the Democratic National Committee and made a $3,000 donation to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and a $2,000 donation to the Iowa Democratic Party.

Besides his financial contributions, a Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire further reveals that Orrick served as co-chair of the Bay Area Lawyers to Elect John Kerry 2003-2004 as well as the Bay Area Lawyers to Elect Barack Obama 2006-2008.

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In 2009, he introduced then-California district attorney candidate Harris at a campaign fundraiser in San Francisco.

Orrick has also stumped for Obama and Kerry at several events dating back to 2003.

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

The Trump administration is applauding a major move by a key South American ally in the global fight against terrorism.

On Thursday, the U.S. State Department issued a statement congratulating Paraguay’s President Santiago Peña for officially labeling Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization – a decision the U.S. calls a critical blow to Iran’s terror network in the Western Hemisphere.

“The United States welcomes President Santiago Peña’s designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization,” said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

In addition to the IRGC designation, Paraguay also expanded its 2019 designations of the armed wings of Hezbollah and Hamas to include the entirety of both organizations. The Trump administration hailed it as a firm stand against Iranian-backed extremism.

NUCLEAR WATCHDOG URGES ‘TRUST BUT VERIFY’ THAT IRAN ENGAGES IN GOOD-FAITH NEGOTIATIONS

“Iran remains the leading state sponsor of terrorism in the world and has financed and directed numerous terrorist attacks and activities globally, through its IRGC-Qods Force and proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas,” Bruce said.

The decision is particularly significant in the Tri-Border Area, the region where Paraguay borders Argentina and Brazil, which has long been considered a financial hub for Hezbollah-linked operatives. The State Department said Paraguay’s action will help cut off the Iranian regime’s ability to fund terrorism and operate in Latin America.

“The important steps Paraguay has taken will help cut off the ability of the Iranian regime and its proxies to plot terrorist attacks and raise money for its malignant and destabilizing activity,” Bruce added, highlighting the Tri-Border Area as a critical front in this effort.

TRUMP TEAM HOLDS ‘CONSTRUCTIVE’ FACE-TO-FACE NUCLEAR TALKS WITH IRAN, WILL MEET AGAIN NEXT WEEKEND

The Trump administration said it plans to build on this momentum and continue working with allies to confront Iran’s global influence.

“The United States will continue to work with partners such as Paraguay to confront global security threats,” Bruce said. “We call on all countries to hold the Iranian regime accountable and prevent its operatives, recruiters, financiers, and proxies from operating in their territories.”

This isn’t a one-off. Since his first term, Trump has made confronting Iran’s terror apparatus a cornerstone of his foreign policy. 

In 2018, he pulled the U.S. out of the Obama-era nuclear deal with Iran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), calling it “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into.”

Now, the Trump administration is back at the negotiating table, but on its own terms. Two rounds of nuclear talks have already taken place this month, with a third scheduled for later this week. A senior administration official said the discussions have made “very good progress,” though the details remain closely guarded.

As Bruce emphasized, Washington is calling on “all countries” to follow suit in holding “the Iranian regime accountable.”

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The United States does not currently have a permanent Ambassador to Paraguay. Instead, Amir Masliyah holds the position of Chargé D’Affaires.

Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content.

Here’s what’s happening…

-What did the Bush administration, 9/11 Commission say about REAL ID legislation?

-Ahead of key Supreme Court arguments, here’s which states have passed school choice measures

–Democrats’ vice chair gets ultimatum: stay neutral in primaries or step down from party leadership

Hogg Fit to Be Tied

Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair Ken Martin, aiming to quell a raging firestorm in the party, is making it crystal clear the DNC will stay neutral in intra-party primaries.

“No DNC officer should ever attempt to influence the outcome of a primary election, whether on behalf of an incumbent or a challenger,” the recently elected national party chair said during a conference call with reporters Thursday.

Martin’s comments were directed at DNC vice chair David Hogg, who recently pledged to shell out $20 million through his outside political group, Leaders We Deserve, to primary-challenge some older Democrats in blue districts… READ MORE

White House

‘I AM NOT HAPPY’: Trump tells Putin ‘STOP’ after deadly Russian strikes on Kyiv

‘EXTREMIST RHETORIC’: Trans inmate who killed baby blames Trump admin for alleged assaults in prison

TIME FLIES: Trump to hold rally Tuesday in celebration of first 100 days, Leavitt says

World Stage

PUTIN’S NAVAL GAMBIT: US–Russia flashpoint looms over Putin’s plans for African naval base

PEACE IS POSSIBLE: A weakened Hezbollah leads some in Lebanon to talk of peace with Israel as U.S. pushes sides together

BRAZEN ATTACK: Russia blamed for overnight strike on Kyiv that killed at least nine, injured dozens, including children

‘IDENTIFY, TRACK AND PUNISH’: India vows to hunt terrorists ‘to the ends of the earth’ as tensions with Pakistan rise after deadly Kashmir attack

Capitol Hill

MAX TAX: GOP talks on millionaire tax hike come from party’s populist streak, strategists say

DEM DENIAL: Top Dem denies ignoring constituent abducted by Maduro after being lambasted for Abrego Garcia advocacy

‘TIME TO PASS THE TORCH’: Air Force veteran jumps into race to unseat 22-term vulnerable Dem in key race

Across America 

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT: Top union calls cops on itself to orchestrate ‘civil disobedience’ stunt at GOP office

FOLLOW THE MONEY: GOP governor hopeful pushes anti-China policy after years of Chinese investments

JUDICIAL SHOWDOWN: Federal judge gives DOJ another week in Abrego Garcia deportation case

‘TAX DOLLARS’: Harvard’s endowment holds $7 million per student, still receives $550M from government annually

‘WHAT THE HELL’: Alex Soros fumes at left-wing climate group over ‘Palestine’ obsession

‘NO CHANCE’: Chicago residents react to possible Pritzker presidential run: ‘No chance to win’

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

The Trump administration has renamed the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas after a Houston girl who, prosecutors said, was brutally killed last year by two Venezuelan illegal immigrants.

The park, now known as the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge, hosted a renaming ceremony on Thursday. The 39,000-acre sanctuary along the Texas Gulf Coast in Anahuac serves as a home for migratory birds and wildlife managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“Let this land speak her name. Let its quiet strength echo her spirit. And let it stand as a testament that her life mattered,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said during the ceremony attended by Nungaray’s mother. “And that her story, however heartbreakingly brief, needs to be told and retold and never forgotten.”

JOCELYN NUNGARAY’S MOTHER REVEALS HORRIFIC TIMELINE OF DAUGHTER’S MURDER IN HEARING ON OPEN-BORDER CRIME

During his joint address to Congress in March, President Donald Trump announced the renaming of the refuge to honor Nungaray, showing his signature on an executive order that changed the name of the park. 

“I had no idea that was going to happen. It was a really big shock and surprise,” Alexis Nungaray, Jocelyn’s mother, told FOX 26 at the time. “I was stunned. I didn’t really know how to react. It was very surreal, very bittersweet.”

TRUMP HONORS LIVES OF LAKEN RILEY, JOCELYN NUNGARAY WHILE CELEBRATING STRIDES ON SECURING BORDER 

During Thursday’s ceremony, Burgum noted that Nungaray loved animals while offering his condolences to her mother, who did not speak. 

“May Jocelyn’s family find peace in the tranquility of the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge. It’s a lasting tribute to a beautiful young soul taken from us too soon,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said. 

Nungaray’s death drew national attention amid criticism of the Biden administration over millions of illegal immigrants, some with violent criminal records and street gang ties, who entered the United States during his presidency. 

In December, prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty for her accused killers, 22-year-old Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel and 26-year-old Franklin Jose Peña Ramos.

Both men kidnapped Nungaray and caused her death by applying pressure to her neck, authorities said. They also allegedly sexually assaulted her before leaving her body under a bridge. 

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Search warrants later revealed the men were possibly members of the bloodthirsty Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and entered the U.S. illegally before the slaying.

U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., urged people to call and threaten congressional lawmakers over the Trump administration’s immigration policies following a visit to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Wilson visited ICE Krome Detention Center in Miami before holding a news conference on Instagram Live.

“So I’ve been giving out the phone numbers to the House of Representatives and to the Senate,” she said. “It’s one number that number you call and you threaten it, and you say, this is wrong. This is not America. This is not what we stand for. We need a change. You have to do that. It’s going to take the people. We’ve done it.”

FEDERAL JUDGE ALLEGES ‘WILLFUL AND BAD FAITH REFUSAL’ TO COMPLY IN ABREGO GARCIA DEPORTATION CASE

“We need the people. We needed an uprising where people are taking to the streets and the phones and writing letters. That’s what we need,” she added. 

Before going into the ICE facility, Wilson said she expected to see criminals with “cases tattooed with gold teeth.”

“I wanted to see where were these dangerous people that they had picked up off the street and put them in a detention center,” the representative said. “I didn’t see that. I saw hard working men. Some more literate than others. I even saw some who are mentally disturbed and have mental issues.”

Wilson, who has feuded with President Donald Trump in the past, also blamed the Laken Riley Act for the increase in migrant detentions. 

Trump signed the bill into law days after taking office. It directs ICE to detain illegal immigrants arrested or charged with theft-related crimes, or those accused of assaulting a police officer.

TRUMP-APPOINTED JUDGE ORDERS ADMINISTRATION TO RETURN SECOND DEPORTED MIGRANT

The law also allows states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for harm caused to their citizens because of illegal immigration.

The bill was named after Riley, a nursing student who was killed while jogging on the University of Georgia campus by an illegal immigrant. Jose Ibarra, who had previously been arrested but never detained by ICE, was sentenced to life in prison for the killing. 

“The Laken Riley Act has caused an increase in detainees, and these are people who have… you could have been here forever,” said Wilson, who said that illegal migrants can get arrested “walking across the street, jaywalking, or shoplifting, they will detain you and bring you right here.”

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Wilson’s offices in Washington and Florida. 

The New York Attorney General’s Office has hired high-powered attorney Abbe Lowell to defend Attorney General Letitia James against fraud accusations being levied against her. 

The office confirmed it hired Lowell, who has represented high-profile political figures on both sides of the aisle, including Hunter Biden, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, former Sen. Bob Mendez and Bill Clinton. 

It is unclear whether taxpayer dollars are going towards James’ defense, as the attorney general’s office stopped answering questions once Fox News Digital began asking about how Lowell would be compensated.

Lowell will represent James as a private citizen, not as part of Winston & Strawn LLP, where he is a partner.

HUNTER BIDEN HIRES ALEX MURDAUGH’S LAWYER IN LATEST COURT CASE; ABBE LOWELL OUT

U.S. Federal Housing Director William Pulte is requesting the Department of Justice investigate James and consider prosecuting her for allegedly falsifying bank documents and records in order to garner more favorable loans. Lowell, who hung up on Fox News Digital when reached by phone, sent a letter to the DOJ Thursday urging them to reject Pulte’s request for prosecution.

Local reporting from the Times Union said the attorney general’s office indicated the decision to hire Lowell to defend James was, in part, based on their allegation that the Trump administration is pushing a politically motivated criminal referral in response to James bringing a civil case against Donald Trump last year for allegedly inflating asset values to obtain favorable loans.   

Lowell, in his letter to the DOJ that was directed to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, referred to Pulte’s criminal referral as “the latest act of improper political retribution” from Trump.

NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL CLAIMS DOJ’S MORTGAGE FRAUD ACCUSATIONS ARE ‘BASELESS’

“The stunning hypocrisy of President Trump’s complaint that the Justice Department had been ‘politicized’ and ‘weaponized’ against him is laid bare as he and others in his administration are now asking you to undertake the very same practice,” Mr. Lowell wrote.

In his letter, Lowell points to instances where Trump has called for revenge, and instances where the president has personally attacked James. 

Lowell also went after the allegations, including that James listed a home in Virginia as her primary residence while serving as a state official in New York. According to Lowell, James had no intention of using the property as a primary residence and her indication of this in a power-of-attorney letter was a mistake. Lowell pointed out there were other documents where James indicated to her lender that the Virginia home would not be her primary residence.  

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A second accusation of fraud against James accuses her of inflating the number of livable units in a multifamily Brooklyn residence to receive better interest rates. Lowell accuses Pulte of disregarding updated documentation listing the residence as a four-unit multifamily residence, and instead pointing to a certificate of occupancy from 2001.