State Department confirms ‘constructive’ nuclear talks with Iran; Trump says deal ‘sort of’ agreed to
The State Department said nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran have been constructive, and President Donald Trump has been clear about wanting to see diplomacy. U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott was asked during a press briefing Thursday about comments made by Trump, and he said the U.S. and Iran were close to an Iran nuclear deal. Trump, speaking in Doha, Qatar, said he thinks the U.S. and Iran “are getting close” to making a deal without any violence. In Trump fashion, he said there are two steps — “a very nice step and a violent step” — which he added consists of violence people have never seen before. The president also said Thursday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), that the U.S. and Iran have “sort of” agreed to terms on a nuclear deal. TRUMP SAYS IRAN MUST DITCH ‘CONCEPT OF A NUCLEAR WEAPON’ AHEAD OF MORE TALKS “Iran has sort of agreed to the terms. They’re not going to make — I call it, in a friendly way — nuclear dust,” Trump told reporters, suggesting a growing alignment with the terms he has been seeking. “We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran.” While Pigott would not comment on private diplomatic conversations or negotiations, he reiterated Trump’s stance on the matter. “The president has been clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” Pigott told reporters. “The talks have been described as constructive by the participants in them, and so, again, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. And the president has been clear. He wants diplomacy. He wants to see a diplomatic solution here.” Pigott made his remarks as Trump tours the Middle East, making stops in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. TRUMP CALLS FOR ‘NUCLEAR PEACE AGREEMENT’ WITH IRAN RATHER THAN BLOWING COUNTRY ‘TO SMITHEREENS’ Trump, while speaking at the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh Wednesday, reiterated his desire to make a deal with Iran and called for building upon the progress of the Abraham Accords by adding more countries to the historic agreement. Trump made the comments while addressing leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council as part of his four-day visit to the region. TRUMP SAYS HE’LL BE ‘LEADING THE PACK’ TO WAR WITH IRAN IF DEAL PROSPECTS WHITHER AWAY “I want to make a deal with Iran. I want to do something if possible. But for that to happen, it must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars and permanently and verifiably cease its pursuit of nuclear weapons. They cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. Though Trump said he wants to make a deal with Iran and see Tehran prosper, he also recently accused the Iranian regime of not only hurting its own nation, but the region at large. “Iran’s leaders have focused on stealing their people’s wealth to fund terror and bloodshed abroad. Most tragic of all, they have dragged down an entire region with them,” Trump said. The president pointed to the “countless lives lost” in Iran’s effort to prop up the former Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, which collapsed in December, and accused its support of Hezbollah for the downfall of Beirut, which he said was “once called the Paris of the Middle East.” It is unclear how Trump’s negative comments toward Tehran could affect ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran. Still, The Associated Press reported Thursday that a top political, military and nuclear advisor to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told NBC News Wednesday that Tehran stands ready to get rid of its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium that can be weaponized, agree to enrich uranium only to the lower levels needed for civilian use and allow international inspectors to supervise the process. In return, Ali Shamkhani, the advisor, said Iran wants an immediate lifting of all economic sanctions. Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz and Caitlin McFall and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Kash Patel delivers fiery warning after FBI disrupts mass shooting terror plot targeting military
EXCLUSIVE: FBI Director Kash Patel issued a fiery warning after the bureau disrupted a mass shooting plot at a military base on behalf of ISIS. Patel told Fox News Digital that any individual targeting the U.S. military or conspiring with foreign terrorist organizations will be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” The director’s warning comes after a former Michigan Army National Guard member, Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19, was arrested for allegedly planning a mass shooting near the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) center at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. FORMER MICHIGAN ARMY NATIONAL GUARD MEMBER CHARGED WITH PLOTTING MASS SHOOTING AT ARMY BASE ON BEHALF OF ISIS “Let this be a warning: Anyone who targets our military or conspires with foreign terrorist organizations will be found, stopped and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Patel told Fox News Digital Thursday. “I commend the men and women of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and our law enforcement partners for their continued dedication to protecting the American people.” Said “launched his drone in support of the attack plan” and told an undercover FBI agent in the lead-up to the foiled plot he recommended that “everyone have about seven magazines because you don’t want to be in there and run out of ammo,” according to officials. Said is now facing charges of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years per count if convicted. ABBEY GATE TERROR SUSPECT’S MUGSHOT REVEALED AS HE MAKES FIRST FEDERAL COURT APPEARANCE The Justice Department said that, in April, “two undercover officers indicated they intended to carry out Said’s plan at the direction of ISIS. “In response, Said provided material assistance to the attack plan, including providing armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the attack, flying his drone over TACOM to conduct operational reconnaissance, training the undercover employees on firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails for use during the attack and planning numerous details of the attack, including how to enter TACOM and which building to target.” A criminal complaint stated that, around June 2024, Said started communicating with an undercover FBI agent who he thought was a fellow ISIS supporter. The complaint noted that Said enlisted in the Michigan Army National Guard in September 2022 and attended basic training at Fort Moore in Georgia. He later reported to the Michigan Army National Guard Taylor Armory before being discharged around December 2024. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is leading the investigation into the case. “Our agents, intelligence teams, and partners acted quickly — and they saved lives,” Patel wrote on X Tuesday. “Well done to all on executing the mission.” Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.
GOP rebel mutiny threatens to derail Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ before key committee hurdle
President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” appears to be in peril as of late Thursday afternoon, ahead of a critical meeting by the House Budget Committee to bring the legislation close to a House-wide vote. At least three Republicans on the committee are expected to vote against advancing the bill, a multitrillion-dollar piece of legislation aimed at enacting Trump’s priorities on tax, the border, immigration, defense, energy and raising the debt limit. GOP Reps. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., both told Fox News Digital they would vote against the bill in committee in its current form. Norman said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, also would vote against the bill. Roy himself signaled he was opposed to the legislation both on X and in comments to reporters. ANTI-ABORTION PROVIDER MEASURE IN TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ COULD SPARK HOUSE GOP REBELLION “Right now, the House proposal fails to meet the moment. It does not meaningfully change spending (Medicaid expansion to able bodied, [Inflation Reduction Act] subsidies). Plus many of the decent provisions and cuts, don’t begin until 2029 and beyond. That is swamp accounting to dodge real savings,” Roy wrote Thursday on X. Other members of the committee also suggested they had concerns. Rep. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital he wanted the Friday morning meeting delayed. And Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., a rank-and-file member who is not known for defying House Republican leaders, said the legislation did not seem “sincere” and would not reveal how he will vote. With one expected absence for Republicans on the House Budget Committee, the GOP can only afford one “no” vote to still advance the legislation. Once the bill is passed through the House Budget Committee, it must then come before the House Rules Committee — which sets terms for debating the bill House-wide — before it is weighed by all House lawmakers. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he wants the legislation to pass the House by Memorial Day. “I think we’re on schedule,” Johnson told reporters leaving a conference-wide meeting on the bill Thursday afternoon. He also said he was confident Budget Committee Republicans could advance the bill on Friday. “I’m talking to everybody and I think we’re gonna get this thing done on the schedule that we proposed,” Johnson said in response to conservative concerns. Both Norman and Roy have complained that the legislation’s provisions aimed at curbing abuse of the Medicaid system and rolling back former President Joe Biden’s green energy subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act did not go far enough. Timing is among their key concerns on both fronts. Conservatives have issues with Medicaid work requirements not going into effect until 2029, the end of Trump’s term. They also questioned what they saw as a delay in phasing out green energy tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act. “I questioned the timing on work requirements, I questioned the IRS phase-outs. I didn’t get an answer on that,” Norman told reporters after the Thursday afternoon meeting. “My point is, we need to have answers before it hits the floor.” Clyde told Fox News Digital of his opposition, “I’m a NO on advancing the budget reconciliation bill out of the Budget Committee in its current form.” “I’m actively involved in negotiations to improve this package, and I’m hopeful that we will do so quickly in order to successfully deliver on President Trump’s agenda for the American people,” he said. Another issue at hand involves continued tensions over state and local tax (SALT) deductions, which primarily affect high cost-of-living states — and Republicans representing critical swing districts within blue states. The Trump bill currently would raise the SALT deduction cap from $10,000 for single and married tax filers to $30,000 — a number that’s not enough for a group of moderate House Republicans that’s large enough to sink the final bill. Conservative fiscal hawks have said higher SALT deduction caps must be paired with deeper spending cuts. BROWN UNIVERSITY IN GOP CROSSHAIRS AFTER STUDENT’S DOGE-LIKE EMAIL KICKS OFF FRENZY “SALT is a pay-for,” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who is not on the budget committee, said in response to conservatives asking for offsets. He pointed out that SALT deduction caps would be eliminated entirely if Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which Republicans want to extend permanently via this bill, is allowed to expire. “The fact is, if the tax bill expires, the cap on SALT expires, which means it goes back to unlimited. So any cap is a savings within the bill,” Lawler said. “So this idea that we need to find a pay-for, that’s not an us problem. That’s other people’s problems.” But Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., another SALT Caucus member, signaled he would be OK with moving up the deadline on Medicaid work requirements in exchange for raising the SALT deduction cap. House GOP leaders are expected to continue negotiating with both groups, however. Both Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said they expected the Budget Committee meeting to go on as planned. House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, however, seemed less optimistic. “We’ll see,” he said when asked about the Friday meeting, adding the likely “no” votes are “potentially enough to delay it.” Congressional Republicans are moving Trump’s agenda via the budget reconciliation process. By lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage down to the House’s own simple majority requirement, it allows the party in control of both chambers and the White House to pass vast pieces of legislation while entirely sidelining the minority — in this case, Democrats. Eleven House committees have cobbled together individual portions of the bill, which will be put back into a framework that the House Budget Committee will consider Friday morning. Then it must head to the Senate, which will likely amend the bill, which then must sync up with the House before arriving on Trump’s desk for a signature.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Birthright Debate
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… -Trump highlights potential pay raise for troops, touts military reforms in Qatar speech -Dems divided on Trump’s executive order aimed at slashing drug prices –Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts reins in Sotomayor after repeated interruptions The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Thursday in a challenge to President Donald Trump‘s effort to end birthright citizenship, a case that could more broadly call into question the powers of lower courts to block executive branch actions. It’s unclear when the justices will rule, but their decision to fast-track the case means an opinion or order could come within weeks — or even days. Justices across the ideological spectrum appeared to agree Thursday that the use of universal injunctions has surged in recent years — blocking actions by both Democratic and Republican presidents. WHY WOULD HE GO?’: Trump to skip Russia–Ukraine peace talks, calls Zelenskyy the ‘greatest salesman, maybe in history’ TRUMP OF ARABIA: Trump makes historic UAE trip in first U.S. presidential visit in nearly 30 years ‘VERY SIMPLE’: Trump warns Iran faces ‘violence like people haven’t seen before’ if nuclear deal fails ‘TRUMP’S EXCEPTIONAL EFFORTS’: UAE’s president bestows highest civilian honor on Trump ‘IT’S THE LAW’: Espionage, constitutional concerns abound from Trump detractors, allies over Qatari jet offer POLL POSITION: Trump’s poll position improves as president’s approval ratings edge up in new national survey ‘DESTRUCTION OR DISRUPTION’: Hidden communications devices found in Chinese solar power inverters spark security alarm ‘NO DOUBT’: Dem senator says ‘no doubt’ Biden declined cognitively during presidency TAX-CUT DAY: GOP reps, advocacy group to target competitive House districts in Trump tax-cut push PLANES, TRAINS, AND INVESTIGATIONS: House Dems open investigation into Trump’s acceptance of $400 million jet from Qatar SUPREME SMACKDOWN: Justice Kagan snaps at Trump lawyer in major case: ‘Every court has ruled against you’ ‘DISTURBING’ CONDUCT: US attorney for Massachusetts says interference with ICE operations is ‘disturbing,’ threatens arrests JUDGE IS IN: Jeanine Pirro sworn in as interim US attorney ‘LEAVING AMERICANS VULNERABLE’: US military would be unleashed on enemy drones on the homeland if bipartisan bill passes NEW GAME: Harvard updates lawsuit after Trump cancels additional $450M in funding Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Washington state bill opens housing assistance to illegal immigrants, critics warn
A bill recently passed by lawmakers in Washington state could open the door for illegal immigrants to receive cash assistance under a program designed to provide housing assistance and other essential items to certain low-income residents unable to work, critics say. The state’s Democratic-controlled Legislature last month passed SB 5232, which has been delivered to Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson. The bill updates provisions related to the state’s Housing and Essential Needs Referral Program (HEN), which provides assistance to low-income U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and victims of human trafficking if they can’t work due to their physical or mental condition. HOMELAND SECURITY SUBPOENAS CALIFORNIA FOR POSSIBLE CASH BENEFITS TO ILLEGALS Lawmakers amended the bill to remove the eligibility requirement that recipients be “citizens or aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence or otherwise residing in the United States under color of law.” “This year seems to be the year for noncitizens,” Republican state Sen. Leonard Christian, a ranking member of the Senate Human Services Committee, told Fox News Digital. “We have no problem giving direct money, housing money to noncitizens, along with $150 million in Medicaid for noncitizens.” “It just seems like the state is trying really hard to pick a fight with the Trump administration,” he added. The state has set aside roughly $130 million for the HEN program in an effort to address homelessness and housing. In a social media post, state Rep. Travis Couture also criticized SB 5232, calling it the “same budget” with “more recipients.” NEWSOM ASKS FOR NEARLY ANOTHER $3B FOR STATE HEALTH PROGRAM OVERWHELMED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS “That means our people get kicked out of line in favor of illegal immigrants,” he wrote last week. “Gov. Ferguson — veto this. It’s unfair and it’s wrong. Put our own people first!” Ferguson hasn’t signaled whether he will sign the legislation. Fox News Digital has reached out to the sponsors of the bill and the governor’s office. Christian characterized the government handing out funds for housing as a “gift of taxpayer dollars,” noting the money doesn’t have many “guardrails around it.” He cited his own life experience, recalling his mother once leaving him and his 12-year-old brother at home to go cross-country trucking. “He used the money that was given to my mom to buy groceries and food for us kids, to buy marijuana and alcohol at the age of 12,” he said. “I saw first hand (the impact of) substance abuse and handing money to somebody.” NEWSOM SIGNS $2.8B BAILOUT FOR HEALTHCARE PROGRAM OVERRUN BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS Statewide, Democrats have favored higher taxes on businesses and the rich, which ultimately trickle down to middle- and lower-class residents and programs that benefit illegal immigrants over American citizens, Christian said. “A lot of times, the Democratic Party thinks more with their hearts than with their head,” he said. “It’s the idea that they see a problem, and they think they can fix it.” Republicans want to address the same issues but look at how potential solutions will affect the overall population, he said. “They don’t get the fact that somebody else has got to pay for that crazy program,” he said. “I would certainly like to go around with a card and have fun and save the world, but who’s going to pay that Visa bill, and that’s when they don’t seem to care.” SB 5232 was passed as the state faces a $16 billion budget shortfall. In addition, Ferguson recently signed a handful of bills to protect immigrants’ rights, including measures to allow the state to inspect private detention centers and prohibit bail bond agents from enforcing immigration laws.
Al-Qaeda affiliate claims 200 soldiers killed in Burkina Faso attack
Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) claims attack on Djibo military outpost, SITE Intelligence Group says. An al-Qaeda affiliate has claimed it killed 200 soldiers in an attack on a Burkina Faso army base this week, according to an NGO that tracks armed groups’ online activity. The base in the northern town of Djibo came under attack on Sunday morning, and a police station and market were also targeted, security sources told the news agency Reuters. Although there was no official toll, three Djibo residents told Reuters that dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed. Al Jazeera was not able to independently verify the death toll. A Burkina Faso military source told Al Jazeera that the armed group was exaggerating the number of casualties. The United States-based SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks online activity of armed groups, said Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) made the claim in a formal statement. “The operation comes amid increased JNIM activity in Burkina Faso over the past month inflicting a high number of casualties,” SITE said. The organisation previously said Ousmane Dicko, head of JNIM in Burkina Faso, had appeared in a video urging residents of Djibo to leave the town for their own safety. Advertisement Reporting from Dakar, Senegal, Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque said the attack took place over a number of days. “One of the major military outposts that was supposed to protect this town of about 200,000 people was razed to the ground, such was the firepower of the armed groups,” said Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque, reporting from Senegal, Dakar. “This is one of the deadliest attacks in Burkina Faso, and it comes just as Ibrahim Traore [Burkina Faso’s military leader] has been saying that the country has been gaining territory, encouraging people to go back to their homes, but this latest attack proves the opposite,” said Haque. A video circulating on social media from the al-Qaeda affiliate warned people to leave their homes and said it would seize more territories. “What we’re seeing here is the pivot point where these armed groups that normally attack villages are now trying to take over towns. It’s a major blow for Burkina Faso’s armed forces,” Haque said, noting the attacks come just as Traore was visiting Russia, asking President Vladimir Putin for more training and arms to fight off armed groups. JNIM claimed responsibility for another assault this week targeting a military post in Burkina Faso’s northern Loroum province in which the group said 60 soldiers were killed, according to SITE. The attacks highlight the difficulties the three Sahel nations of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, ruled by military leaders, are facing in containing the armed groups. Burkina Faso authorities have not commented on the latest attacks. Advertisement A notable attack occurred in the Burkina town of Sole, where JNIM fighters raided the army military post and killed soldiers, SITE Intelligence said, without specifying on which day it took place. A Military government took power in Burkina Faso in 2022, but they have largely failed to provide stability, as more than 60 percent of the country is estimated to be outside government control. Adblock test (Why?)
US Supreme Court grills Trump administration over birthright citizenship
Washington, DC – Justices at the US Supreme Court have questioned lawyers representing the administration of US President Donald Trump and those challenging his effort to end birthright citizenship in the country. The hearing on Thursday represented the first time the top court in the United States has heard a case related to Trump’s January 20 order seeking to do away with the more-than-century-old policy, which grants citizenship to nearly all infants born on US soil, regardless of their parents’ legal status. It was not immediately clear when the court would issue a ruling in the case, although an outcome could take weeks. It also remained unclear if the justices would address the underlying constitutionality of Trump’s order, or if they would only rule on the narrower question of whether lower federal court justices are empowered to block the implementation of the order nationwide. Still, demonstrators and lawmakers who gathered outside of the Washington, DC courthouse said any ruling challenging birthright citizenship would corrode the national fabric of the US. Advertisement “We are here at the highest court in the land because a fundamental promise of America is under attack. And we are here to say not on our watch,” Ama Frimpong, the legal director of CASA, told those gathered in protest. “All persons born in the US are citizens of the US,” Frimpong said. Legal experts have also said a ruling limiting federal courts’ ability to order a “national” or “universal” injunction to block Trump’s executive actions would in and of itself be transformative. “That question, in a normal sense, would already shake the legal foundation of the country: whether lower courts have the right to order nationwide injunctions,” said Al Jazeera’s Heidi Zhou-Castro from outside the courthouse. “But it’s the second question that really people are focused on, and that is if Trump has the power to cancel birthright citizenship for the children born to undocumented immigrants and certain visa holders visiting the US,” she said. “Now it is up to the justices whether they want to go in either of those directions.” ‘Catch me if you can kind of regime’ Over two hours of questioning, lawyers for the Trump administration, as well as those representing states and individuals who have challenged Trump’s order, addressed matters both of constitutional grandeur and legal minutia. Solicitor General John Sauer began by laying out the Trump administration’s broad argument that the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, has been incorrectly interpreted since then. The amendment, Sauer argued, “guarantees citizenship to the children of former slaves, not to illegal aliens or temporary visitors”. Advertisement Trump also reiterated that position in a Truth Social post ahead of the hearing, saying birthright citizenship makes the US a “STUPID Country” that incentivises people to visit to have children. Sauer also took aim at the three federal judges who have ruled in favour of separate lawsuits challenging the law’s constitutionality. Plaintiffs in those cases include 22 state attorneys general, immigrant rights organisations, and individuals affected by the rule. Sauer argued that the judges’ decisions should only apply to the plaintiffs in the cases, and not the entire nation. Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor questioned whether the broader constitutional question could be unpicked from the narrower question of the judges’ reach, saying the president’s order violates “by my count, four established Supreme Court precedents”. That included the 1898 Supreme Court case, United States v Wong Kim Ark, which first established that the 14th Amendment applies to immigrants, she said. Other justices questioned the implications of a scenario where the court ruled that the judges could not issue “national injunctions” in the case, without answering the underlying constitutional question. Legal scholars have noted that this could create a situation where Trump’s end to birthright citizenship would not apply to states and individuals who successfully challenged his order in court. That would mean birthright citizenship – at least temporarily – would end in 28 other states if they do launch their own challenges. Advertisement “Does every single person that is affected by this EO [executive order] have to bring their own suit?” Justice Elena Kagan questioned. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the Trump administration’s argument turns the US justice system into a “catch me if you can kind of regime”. Under that, “everybody has to have a lawyer and file a lawsuit in order for the government to stop violating people’s rights”. Adblock test (Why?)
Lawyers for US Mayor Ras Baraka argue he was targeted for arrest at protest
Baraka’s defence team say they will file a motion to dismiss trespassing charges pursued by the Trump administration. Lawyers in the United States have said they will file a motion to dismiss trespassing charges directed at Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, following his arrest during a protest at an immigrant detention centre in New Jersey. During a hearing in a New Jersey federal court on Thursday, Baraka’s defence team said that they believed he was being selectively prosecuted by the administration of President Donald Trump. “We believe that the mayor himself was targeted here,” said Rahul Agarwal, one of Baraka’s lawyers. “The mayor was invited into the facility on Friday,” Agarwal added, pointing out that Baraka was “outside the facility when he was ultimately handcuffed and detained”. Baraka himself attended the hearing and spoke to supporters outside afterwards. On social media, he framed the criminal complaint as a sham. “Today, the U.S. Attorney General’s office chose to move forward with a trial over trespassing charges at Delaney Hall. While the charges are unwarranted, we will fight this,” Baraka wrote. “This is bigger than me. It’s about all of us.” Advertisement The incident is the latest to underscore growing tensions between the Trump administration and local authorities who oppose his immigration crackdown. Civil liberties groups have argued that the government is using its power to intimidate or coerce officials who do not align with its priorities on immigration. The Trump administration’s complaint centres on the events of May 9, when lawmakers and protesters showed up at Delaney Hall, a new detention facility in Newark run by the private company GEO Group. Baraka has long opposed the 1,000-bed facility, saying it lacks the proper permitting, and he has appeared outside its gates multiple times since its May 1 opening. On the day of his arrest, Baraka joined three members of the US Congress — LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez — who arrived unannounced “to conduct lawful congressional oversight” of the facility, according to their statements afterwards. Agarwal said that Baraka was the only person arrested in the incident. Baraka has maintained that he was invited in to the facility and shared a video on social media on Wednesday that he says shows a guard opening the gate to allow him inside the premises. “Mayor Baraka was at Delaney Hall to join a tour of the detention facility with a congressional delegation as part of their authorized oversight responsibilities,” the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said in a statement on the arrest of Baraka last week. “Mayor Baraka — and lawmakers across New Jersey and the country — are being targeted by the Trump administration for refusing to be complicit with its ongoing violations of due process.” Advertisement However, the government’s criminal complaint alleges that Baraka entered and remained inside the private facility despite multiple warnings to leave. He faces up to 30 days in prison. “We believe there’s clear evidence that the mayor was within the property,” Assistant US Attorney Stephen Demanovich told US Magistrate Judge Andre Espinosa. Video of the incident shows an official behind the gate at Delaney Hall telling Baraka he must return outside because “you are not a congressmember”. Judge Espinosa on Thursday told Baraka he needed to be processed by US Marshals Service after proceedings came to an end. The Associated Press said the request sparked a moment of confusion in the courtroom. Baraka pointed out that he had already been processed after his arrest, but ultimately agreed to give his fingerprints and take a mugshot a second time. “They’re trying their best to humiliate and degrade me as much as they possibly can,” said Baraka. “I feel like what we did was completely correct. We did not violate any laws. We stood up for the constitution of this country, the constitution of the state of New Jersey.” Baraka is considered a leading candidate in the 2025 New Jersey governor’s race. Adblock test (Why?)
Tim Kaine’s attempt to force Salvadoran report on human rights falls flat
A vote to force the Trump administration to produce a report on El Salvador’s human rights practices, spearheaded by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., failed by a roll call vote of 45-50 on Thursday. Kaine, along with co-sponsors Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Alex Padilla of California, all Democrats, cited powers granted by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to put forward a privileged resolution – which required a vote regardless of GOP opposition – to compel the administration to provide such details. Speaking to reporters when he announced the vote, Kaine said that if passed, it would freeze foreign assistance to the Salvadoran government if the Trump administration were to balk. “I also send a message to the government of El Salvador,” Kaine said during his remarks, breaking into Spanish midway. NOT A MARYLAND MAN: GOP BLASTS DEMOCRAT SENATOR FIGHTING FOR RETURN OF SALVADORAN NATIONAL “You might think it’s cute right now to grab attention by a bromance with President Donald Trump. He’s going to be a president for poco más (a short time) – tres años más (three more years).” Continuing in Spanish, Kaine said the two countries will always have relations, before transitioning back to English to say that the U.S. will not soon forget “you violating the human rights of American citizens – you’re wrong.” On the Senate floor Thursday, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said Senate Democrats are “voting once again to defend illegal immigrant criminals. They seem to like to do that. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.” “They’re going to come to this floor today, and they’re going to line up to express their blind loyalty and belligerent support for illegal immigrant criminals,” said Barrasso, who, as majority whip, is the second-most-senior Republican. KAINE BREAKS INTO SPANISH AS DEMS FORCE VOTE TARGETING TRUMP-BUKELE ALLIANCE OVER DEPORTATIONS “No Democrats are going to be able to answer the question – How does allowing MS-13 gang members to roam free in our communities make America safer?” Fox News Digital reached out to Kaine for comment, and his office did provide a copy of the resolution. Van Hollen, who took a junket to El Salvador to attempt to bring deported suspected gang member Kilmar Garcia to Maryland – where his family lives – said Trump has failed to comply with the order to facilitate his return. “We will use this resolution to force accountability,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, a House supporter of the resolution, although Kaine said it does not require their blessing. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Van Hollen, who took a junket to El Salvador to attempt to bring Garcia to Maryland – where his family lives – said Trump has failed to comply with the order to facilitate his return. Both Trump and Bukele appeared to agree in an Oval Office meeting last month that returning Garcia would be “preposterous” and that the court order did not quite say what critics said it did.
Far-left congresswoman revives ousted ‘Squad’ Dem’s reparations push for Black Americans: ‘We are awake’
A member of the House of Representatives’ progressive “Squad” is reviving legislation aimed at giving reparations payments to Black Americans for slavery. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., reintroduced a resolution Thursday that, if passed, could give federal dollars to the descendants of enslaved people brought from Africa to the United States. Former Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., who lost her 2024 primary to a more moderate Democrat, introduced the reparations bill in the last Congress. Bush’s bill, unveiled in May 2023, called for $14 trillion to be put toward reparations payments for descendants of slavery in the United States, but it did not go anywhere. “We say to the rest of America: If you are truly committed to justice, as you try to say you are, you cannot look away. You cannot turn your back on the demand for reparations, because until there is repair, there will be no justice. And where there is no justice, we will continue to fight. We’re not going anywhere. We are awake. We are organized, and we will win. Reparations now,” Bush said alongside progressive Democrat Reps. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., at Lee’s announcement. HOUSE DEMOCRAT TO INTRODUCE REPARATIONS PUSH, DECLARES ‘MORAL OBLIGATION’ TO SEND TRILLIONS TO BLACK AMERICANS Pressley reintroduced a reparations bill during Black History Month this year with Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., rejecting the “unprecedented onslaught against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from the Trump Administration.” HOUSE DEMS REINTRODUCE REPARATIONS LEGISLATION: ‘WE REFUSE TO BE SILENT’ “Trump’s policies are nothing but anti-Blackness on steroids,” Pressley said Thursday before adding, “This America wants to make America Jim Crow again, and then some.” “Reparations are a necessary step towards true equity in our country, and a more just future. There is an opportunity for Congress to confront our nation’s racist history of slavery and White supremacy. We must provide the descendants of enslaved Black families with the reparations they were promised,” Tlaib added. It’s an effort mounted by progressive Democrats every year, but one that has little chance of passing. That’s especially true for the 119th Congress, which is controlled by Republicans while President Donald Trump is also in the White House. One longtime GOP lawmaker, House Science Committee Chair Brian Babin, R-Texas, even introduced legislation earlier this year to pull federal funding from state and local jurisdictions that enacted reparations policies. “We know there will be pushback,” Lee said Thursday, adding, “Reparations are a proposal to level the playing field, but the only way we could ever have a level playing field is by remedying the harms that have been done by the system.” But Lee signaled on Wednesday that the long odds would not deter her. “When we think about the debt that is owed through our country . . . the Trump administration and the Republican Party talks a lot about paying our debts. This is one of them,” Lee told Fox News. The Pennsylvania progressive argued that the U.S. government crafted policies that intentionally disadvantaged Black Americans. “They were not theoretical, but they were harms from government policies and practices and laws. There were real laws that were on the book that caused systemic disadvantages. They created systemic advantages for other people. So you can never have equal footing until you remedy that,” Lee said.