CAIR panelist accuses Trump admin of using AI and antisemitism against free speech
The Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) held a “Know Your Rights with ICE on Campus” webinar Wednesday night, during which an attorney on the panel accused the Trump administration of using antisemitism as a “ruse” to crack down on freedom of speech. Immigration attorney Hassan Ahmad also advised students listening in on the CAIR panel to wipe their phone memory when traveling internationally to avoid allowing immigration officials to search their data. This comes amid a multi-agency plan by the Trump administration to “root out” antisemitism across U.S. college campuses following several years of widespread protests in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has arrested a slew of foreign-born students who have been involved with pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas demonstrations, and who the administration has accused of being terrorist sympathizers and threats to national security. ‘SAFER WITHOUT HIM’: COLUMBIA STUDENT CLAIMS CLASSMATE ARRESTED BY ICE ‘HATES AMERICA’ Most notably, the administration arrested Mahmoud Khalil, who played a major role in the protests against Israel at Columbia University, and met with university officials on behalf of Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a group of student groups urging the university to divest from Israel. On Monday, DHS agents arrested another Columbia student, Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian-born green card holder in Colchester, Vermont. Mahdawi co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia with Khalil. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE During the Wednesday webinar, Ahmad suggested the Trump administration’s crackdown is motivated by racism and said that “it is clear the administration is using antisemitism as a ruse to clamp down on free speech and that’s why they’re targeting a lot of the Palestinian activists or pro-Palestinians.” “I won’t even call them activists,” he went on, “people who acknowledge the humanity of the Palestinian people, that’s all it takes.” TRUMP TALKS BORDER SECURITY, TARIFF POLICIES AND MORE ON FOX NOTICIAS The attorney went on to decry U.S. law, bizarrely suggesting that the Trump administration could be using AI to pick its targets for deportation. “Honestly, part of me thinks that the rumors are true and that the State Department is using AI to identify people,” he said. “The way these laws are written right now, especially the foreign policy ground … it’s very broadly worded, it allows [Secretary of State] Marco Rubio to ChatGPT a reason to why somebody is bad for the foreign policy of the United States and there’s very little, if any, judicial review questioning as to what his reasoning was.” Ahmad also cautioned noncitizen students to take steps to hide their phone data from the government. “Don’t travel, don’t cross international lines with your phone with all the data on it,” he said. “Make sure there’s nothing on it. If it has to be your phone, you need to take steps to delete all of the apps and re-download them from the cloud after you safely cross the border.”
Love avocados? Biden admin caving to Mexican cartels could have devastating impact on wildly popular fruit
California avocado growers are sounding the alarm over a potential infiltration of crop pests from across the border after the Biden administration caved to Mexican cartel threats and ended a Clinton-era food inspection process that now threatens U.S. farmers. “We understand the importance of free trade,” Ken Melban, the vice president of industry affairs and operations at the California Avocado Commission, told Fox Digital in a Tuesday Zoom interview. “Eight-five to 90% of the total U.S. demand for avocados is supplied by Mexico. However, that free trade should not increase risk on our California growers.” “Our growers are working hard to maintain a business, to drive their economic engine, to provide for their families, to support the economies around them,” he said. “And they shouldn’t have to face a pest, no fault of their own, just because our government in the past was afraid to stand up to the cartel.” Melban was reacting to a Biden administration decision in September 2024 to end a U.S. Department of Agriculture program called the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) specifically in the context of inspecting farms in Mexico to ensure that avocados exported to the U.S. did not also include pests that could disrupt U.S. agriculture. The policy change came after criminals in Mexico reportedly assaulted and threatened the inspectors in recent years. EATING ONE TYPE OF FRUIT REGULARLY COULD REDUCE DIABETES RISK IN WOMEN, STUDY SUGGESTS: ‘INCREDIBLY HEALTHY’ Instead, Mexico was charged with ensuring avocados sent across the border were free of harmful pests, such as seed and stem weevils and seed moths. Weevils are small insects that typically have long snouts, and are notorious for damaging or destroying crops. The avocado industry is a multibillion business in Mexico, but it is often rocked by crime and exploitation of farmers, as cartels work to control the supply chain to help finance their operations and often exploit farmers through rackets that level fees on avocado growers in exchange for protection from violence, various studies and reports on crime affecting the Mexican lime and avocado industry show. Mexico’s Agriculture Department confirmed the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service program ended in a statement in September 2024, claiming “with this agreement, the U.S. health safety agency is recognizing the commitment of Mexican growers, who in more than 27 years have not had any sanitary problems in exports,” the Associated Press reported at the time. US HALTS INSPECTIONS OF POPULAR FRUITS FROM MEXICO OVER SECURITY CONCERNS: USDA Former President Bill Clinton established the inspection program to better bolster U.S. farming communities, with the California Avocado Commission and Department of Agriculture reaching an agreement with Mexico in 1997 to allow for Mexican avocados to be exported to the U.S. under the condition that the fruit be inspected. All expenses related to the program’s inspections of orchards and packing houses were footed by Mexico, not U.S. taxpayers, according to the commission. The Biden administration also paused the program in 2022 after an inspector in Mexico’s western state of Michoacan received a threat “against him and his family,” the USDA said at the time. Two other USDA employees were also reportedly assaulted and temporarily held by suspects in the same Mexican state in June 2024, leading to another pause before Mexico ultimately was charged with conducting inspections in September 2024. “We know that without the U.S. government present, the likelihood for corruption exists,” Melban said of the lack of USDA inspector currently in Mexico. “You can’t just show up one day and pretend that your grove has been certified and that you’re taking all the measures necessary to keep pests out and free. We also know that there has been fruit brought in from other non-certified groves in the past, and that’s part of the problem. That’s where we need the USDA to have boots on the ground and make sure that the inspections and the integrity of the inspections are maintained.” “This entire inspection program is funded by Mexico,” he added. “It’s part of their privilege to come into our U.S. market.” SCHUMER MOCKED FOR CORONA AND GUAC CLIP WARNING TRUMP TARIFFS WILL HURT SUPER BOWL PARTIES: ‘NOT GOOD AT THIS’ Michoacan has long been a hotbed for cartel activity, with the State Department in September issuing a “Do Not Travel” advisory for the Mexican state due to its high threats of kidnapping and crime, according to the travel advisory. Michoacan and Jalisco are the only two Mexican states authorized to export avocados to the U.S. Some residents and farmers of the Michoacan state have also formed various self-defense groups in the past decade to help protect against cartel violence. “We’ve all heard the stories and see the reporting that the cartel is very prevalent in Michoacan, which is a big growing area and the first state that was ever allowed access to the U.S. And so it only stands to reason that they’re going to be involved at some level. And in many instances, they are actually exploiting our pure growers in Mexico too. We’re just looking for the safety of the entire program, so the integrity can be maintained to protect our growers’ interests here in the U.S.,” Melban explained. The USDA told Fox Digital on Wednesday that the APHIS program continues to inspect fruit entering the U.S. at the border and is comitted to “mitigating plant health risk in a way that does not compromise the safety and security of our employees or the phytosanitary security of the United States.” “USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) understands the vital importance of the avocado industry to the State of California and recognizes the concerns raised by residents. APHIS staff continue to fulfill their inspection responsibilities regarding fruit entering the United States from Mexico. Nearly 30 years of experience administering this program has proved the effectiveness of the avocado program’s system of overlapping safeguards to prevent the entry of invasive pests,” a spokesperson said. “Staffing levels and budget levels for the inspection
Texas measles cases are underreported, response hurt by funding cuts, CDC scientist says
Measles cases in Texas are underreported and the response by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is impacted by recent funding cuts, a scientist said. “We do believe that there’s quite a large amount of cases that are not reported and underreported,” Dr. David Sugerman, CDC Senior Scientist, said during an Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting on Tuesday. “In working very closely with our colleagues in Texas, in talking with families, they may mention prior cases that have recovered and never received testing. Other families that may have cases and never sought treatment,” he said. Sugerman took media questions following his presentation on the U.S. measles outbreak. Since measles was declared eliminated by the World Health Organization in 2000, there have been 11 large outbreaks in the U.S. with more than 50 cases, Sugerman said. TEXAS MEASLES OUTBREAK SWELLS TO 561 CASES, CDC SENDS MORE HELP “Seven of these outbreaks occurred in the last five years and nine were among close-knit communities with low vaccine coverage,” he said. “There are funding limitations in light of COVID-19 funding dissipating,” Sugerman said, referring to $12 billion from the Department of Health and Human Services hit by DOGE cuts last month, The Austin American-Statesman reported. VITAMIN A AS MEASLES TREATMENT? RFK JR.’S COMMENTS SPARK DISCUSSION OF BENEFITS AND RISKS “They are mobilizing the resources they have and moving staff from other domains into measles, moving them from other regions into region one in particular,” Sugerman said. Measles cases have continued to surge in Texas since the outbreak first began in late January. State health officials reported 561 confirmed cases across 23 counties on Tuesday, an increase of 20 from April 11. Gaines County, the center of the outbreak in west Texas, now accounts for nearly 65% of the state’s total cases. Fox News Digital’s Bonny Chu and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
Vietnam: 50 Years of Forgetting
The granddaughter of a Vietnamese hero explores the enduring legacy of the Vietnam War on her family and country. The 50-minute documentary 50 Years of Forgetting explores the enduring impact of the Vietnam War on the lives of contemporary Vietnamese. Prompted by a letter from an American veteran, filmmaker Mai Huyen Chi embarks on a personal and national investigation. Chi’s quest begins by unravelling the story of her war hero grandfather who fought for the winning North, a figure shrouded in family silence. As that soon meets its dissatisfying end, she embarks on a journey across Vietnam and meets people whose lives were shaped by some of the most traumatic events of the war: the Battle of Hue in 1968, the Christmas bombing in 1972 and the fall of Saigon in 1975. Their experiences, filled with both resilience and loss, force Chi to confront her own family’s buried truths. She discovers the story of her aunt married to a pilot on the losing Southern side who fled, highlighting the war’s fracturing impact on Vietnamese families across generations. The exploration becomes deeply personal. Chi confronts a harsh reality: Her own cousin suffers from the debilitating effects of Agent Orange, a cruel consequence of the war that continues to inflict pain on countless Vietnamese. By weaving these diverse narratives together, 50 Years of Forgetting transcends the Vietnam War to explore universal themes of conflict and its enduring legacies. Will past lessons be forgotten? Can Vietnam build a collective memory that honours the sacrifices of millions of people when those who endured years of brutality during the Vietnam War are trying so hard to forget? Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Video: Easter overshadowed by war for Christians in Palestine
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Palestinian Christians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza find little joy beset by war and conflict.
Israel kills children in attacks on tents including Gaza’s “safe zone”
NewsFeed Israeli air attacks on tents in Gaza have killed at least 35 Palestinians in the past 24 hours. A strike on a camp sheltering forcibly displaced Palestinians in the al-Mawasi ‘safe zone’ burned several people alive. Published On 17 Apr 202517 Apr 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
Good Friday 2025: Check what’s open and closed on April 18 across India
Here’s a detailed look at what will remain open and closed on Good Friday 2025.
See how Texas House members voted on school vouchers
The House approved historic legislation that would implement school vouchers in Texas. Here’s how each representative voted.
Controversial defense program tied to DEI-laden contractor could be in crosshairs of DOGE: ‘Poster child’
FIRST ON FOX: One of the top defense contractors in the United States, which has a history of pushing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), is facing heat over a massive government contract that critics say should be a prime target for Elon Musk’s DOGE efforts. The Air Force’s Sentinel program, a massive intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) project serving as the successor to the Minuteman III program ensuring the future viability of the land-based leg of America’s nuclear triad, has been mired in controversy and slowdowns as Northrop Grumman was awarded the development contract and the endeavor has gone from a $96 billion program to at least $141 billion in recent years. The Pentagon ordered Northrop Grumman to pause development earlier this year due to “evolving launch facility requirements”, Defense One reported. Air & Space Forces Magazine reported last year that the intercontinental ballistic missile program survived a Pentagon review, but it was found that the cost overrun jumped from 37% to 81%. Northrop Grumman, which had not previously designed an ICBM, was awarded a $13 billion contract in September 2020 for full-scale development of the program to replace the Minuteman III, and the Pentagon has estimated that the total cost of developing its new ICBM program could cost up to $264 billion over the next few decades, Bloomberg reported. BILL MAHER CALLS OUT ELON MUSK, DOGE FOR NOT TAKING ‘CHAINSAW’ TO DEFENSE SPENDING The awarding of the contract was controversial in its own right, after Boeing dropped out of the bidding, claiming that the process was rigged against it, Responsible Statecraft reported. “The massive expansion of costs for Northrop Grumman’s Minuteman III program is the case example for why poorly-scoped, blank check programs are a bad idea,” a senior Republican Congressional official who works on defense policy told Fox News Digital. “This is bad for national security, bad for taxpayers, and Republicans will fix this mess that Biden’s team created,” the official added. Questions have also been raised by some in recent years about whether the Sentinel program is even necessary, including at a Congressional Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group press conference last year, when former Democratic Congressman John Tierney said that Sentinel “does not add to our security” and could “actually make us less safe.” DOGE INITIAL FINDINGS ON DEFENSE DEPARTMENT DEI SPENDING COULD SAVE $80M, AGENCY SAYS “When will the blank checks to cover spiraling costs end?” Tierney said. “The Sentinel ICBM program is just the latest in a long list of Pentagon programs that are over budget, behind schedule and of questionable utility.” Tierney added that he believes the “only value” of recent ICBM development is “to the defense contractors who line their fat pockets with large cost overruns at the expense of our taxpayers.” “It has got to stop,” he said. An Air Force spokesperson told Fox News Digital that it is taking “deliberate” steps to ensure that the Sentinel program is running as cost-efficiently as possible while enhancing oversight at the same time. “We continue to advance the engineering design and maturity of the program with Northrop Grumman, working closely with the company to drive down costs and improve schedule performance,” the spokesperson added. The Air Force also pointed to a previous comment from Gen. David Allvin, Air Force chief of staff, during a symposium in March that stressed the importance of the Sentinel program. “We own two-thirds of the triad and three-fourths of the nuclear command and control of communications,” Allvin said. “We own the nuclear deterrence. So more Air Force means more nuclear deterrence…We have to have the most reliable, the most safe, the most effective nuclear deterrent. That means sentinel, yes…I believe we need more nuclear deterrence for our nation. It’s a solemn responsibility. It’s not an option.” Amid the cost overruns and headaches from the ICBM program, Northrop Grumman adopted and promoted an agenda focused on DEI in recent years and was one of several defense contractors that have attempted to scrub their websites of DEI in the wake of the Trump administration’s pledge to rid the government of the ideology. Northrop Grumman’s 2023 annual report mentions DEI as “vital to our culture and our company’s success. Our ability to leverage the power of our diverse workforce enhances employee engagement and enables us to innovate, perform and deliver on quality, which results in value for our shareholders, customers, and employees.” The report also touted its minority hiring practices and stated that 25% of its employees are female, 37% people of color, 18% veterans and 8% people with disabilities. “Diversity Has a Home at Northrop Grumman,” a YouTube video from ClearanceJobs says in a post that features Northrop Grumman employees discussing the diversity of the company. “Northrop’s Sentinel Program is a DOGE poster child,” a person close to the Trump administration told Fox News Digital. “Not only did they practice DEI, the program is ineffective, delayed, and wasting billions of taxpayer money. Musk would have a field day.” DOGE’s cost-cutting efforts have affected essentially every area of government, including the Defense Department, which recently announced that over $580 million worth of contracts have been canceled as Democrats continue to blast the efforts and make the case that DOGE cuts are detrimental to the country. “I’ve seen it with my own eyes, billions of dollars spent on pricey consulting firms, grants and NGO‘s—the self-serving bureaucrats in Washington DC have found a million different ways to rip-off the American taxpayer,” special advisor to the United States Agency for Global Media Kari Lake told Fox News Digital. “I’m working very closely with DOGE at the agency President Trump asked me to oversee. Our DOGE team is not political, they are practical. They know that it’s not practical for the U.S. government to continue spending the way it has been. Our country won’t survive unless we cut back right now, and the hard-working men and women across this country support that.” In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Northrop Grumman touted recent progress in the program. “We continue to make substantial
Trump hailed for restoring gun rights as GOP fights Biden-era policies
FIRST ON FOX: A top House Republican is leading a formal rebuke of the Biden administration’s gun control policies on Thursday. House Small Business Committee Chair Roger Williams, R-Texas, is introducing a resolution slamming the Democrat former president while lauding the current White House “as they work to protect Second Amendment freedoms by reviewing and eliminating any of the Biden administration’s infringements on [Americans’] constitutional freedoms.” The resolution is backed by at least 14 of Williams’ fellow House Republicans. NRA LEGISLATIVE EXPERT SAYS GUN RIGHTS COULD SEE ‘MOST MONUMENTAL’ WIN IN CONGRESS SINCE 2005 “For too long, the Biden administration and radical leftists went to extreme lengths to criminalize law-abiding gun owners, jeopardizing the Second Amendment,” he told Fox News Digital of the legislation. “My resolution reaffirms congressional support for the Second Amendment and commends President Trump’s actions to protect American gun owners by dismantling Biden’s infringements on our constitutional freedoms.” Shortly after Attorney General Pam Bondi was sworn in, President Donald Trump ordered her to begin a 30-day review to find any “ongoing infringements” of the Second Amendment by the federal government. Just over a month later, Bondi commissioned a new Second Amendment task force to “combine department-wide policy and litigation resources to advance President Trump’s pro-gun agenda and protect gun owners from overreach,” she said last week. The DOJ this month also repealed a Biden-era “zero tolerance” policy by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives, revoking licenses from firearm dealers who “willfully” violate existing rules. Gun rights groups, however, argued the rule places an undue burden on firearm dealers for making unintended clerical errors. SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS BIDEN ADMIN ‘GHOST GUN’ REGULATION The GOP resolution “disapproves of the Biden administration’s gun-control agenda and hostility toward the lawful gun industry,” according to legislative text obtained by Fox News Digital. It also “supports President Trump’s actions to repeal harmful policies imposed by the Biden administration on law-abiding gunowners (sic); and commends President Trump’s commitment to upholding the Constitution and defending the constitutional right to bear arms.” The resolution, which is also backed by the National Rifle Association, is being introduced to coincide with Second Amendment Day on Thursday.