2025 – Page 1147 – Texas Weekly Online

Pahalgam terror attack: J&K CM Omar Abdullah expresses grief over not ensuring tourists’ safety, says, ‘terrorism can only end when…’

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah spoke on various issues related to Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir recently. He expressed grief over not being able to ensure the safety of tourists in his state and also emphasised on terrorism in Kashmir.

White House touts 100-day illegal immigration crackdown after Biden ‘unsecured the border on purpose’

The White House kicked off its celebration of President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office by highlighting its efforts to combat illegal immigration on Monday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement chief Tom Homan joined White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at an early morning briefing on Monday. The pair touted massive decreases in border crossings as well as new executive orders aimed at deportations and further border enforcement. “We are in the process of carrying out the largest deportation campaign in American history,” Leavitt said. “After four years of being vilified by the Biden-Harris administration, our heroic ICE officers can finally do their jobs.” Homan joined Leavitt and accused the Biden administration of having “unsecured the border on purpose,” despite receiving a very secure border from the first Trump administration. TRUMP REPORTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ENCOUNTERS AT HISTORIC LOWS DURING FIRST FULL MONTH IN OFFICE “When 96% less people are coming [across the border], how many women aren’t being sexually assaulted by the cartels?” Homan said. “How many children aren’t dying making that journey? How many women and children aren’t being sex-trafficked into this country? How many known and suspected terrorists aren’t making it into this nation? How many pounds of fentanyl isn’t getting into this country to kill young Americans?” TRUMP ADMIN ENDS DEPORTATION PROTECTIONS FOR MASSIVE NUMBER OF VENEZUELANS AMID ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN Monday’s briefing was the first of several morning press conferences the White House has scheduled this week. Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent will join her for a similar briefing on Tuesday, Leavitt said. The administration’s ongoing Operation Tidal Wave is the largest deportation operation in American history, the pair said. Leavitt added that it is only the beginning, however, and is a “sign of things to come.” The Trump administration said in early April that it had already deported 100,000 illegal immigrants, though officials did not offer a new total at Monday’s briefing. Recent high-profile deportations have seen migrants deported to an El Salvador mega prison after the president invoked the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 wartime immigration law, to deport Venezuelan gang members. That move has since been held up in court with the Trump administration opting to deport 17 alleged members of Tren de Aragua to El Salvador from Guantánamo Bay on Sunday night via Title 8.

Times Square billboard pops up rallying around ‘historic’ Trump accomplishment during first 100 days

FIRST ON FOX: A nonprofit patient’s rights advocacy group has placed a billboard in New York City’s Times Square praising President Donald Trump for “delivering” on a major healthcare promise within his first 100 days in office. The billboard, placed by PatientsRightsAdvocate.org, (PRA) will run from April 28 to May 4 and touts Trump’s executive order signed in February directing the departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to make healthcare prices transparent. “President Trump delivers healthcare price transparency,” the billboard, along with a picture of Trump resembling Superman says. “First 100 Days!” Trump’s order directed the departments to “rapidly implement and enforce” the Trump healthcare price transparency regulations, which he claims were slowed by the Biden administration. TRUMP AND A HEALTHIER AMERICA WELCOMED BY DOCTORS: ‘NEW GOLDEN AGE’ The departments will ensure hospitals and insurers disclose actual prices, not estimates, and take action to make prices comparable across hospitals and insurers, including prescription drug prices. PRA says that more than 1 in 3 Americans postponed or avoided care due to “fear of unknown costs” and that 100 million Americans are in medical debt, which represents the country’s largest cause of personal bankruptcy. “The magnitude of President Trump’s delivering ‘radical’ price transparency in healthcare is historic,” Cynthia Fisher, founder and chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org, said in a statement. SOARING MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES TARGETED IN TRUMP’S NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER “Patients soon will have access to actual prices, not estimates, before they receive care. Prices create a functional market where the consumer benefits from competition and choice to lower costs,” Fisher continued. “Soon, patients will be able to shop for the best quality of care at the best price. Prices protect patients with remedy and recourse from overcharges, errors, and fraud. We are closer than ever to shifting the power to the consumer to live healthier and longer lives at a far lower cost.” Andrew Bremberg, former assistant to President Donald Trump and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the first Trump White House, also touted Trump’s executive order, saying that the president “built on his first term healthcare legacy and signed an even stronger price transparency executive order. “His efforts to deliver real prices, not estimates, underscore his unwavering commitment to the American people. President Trump has a bold vision to transform the American healthcare system with price transparency as the catalyst.” The executive order notes a number of concerns with current healthcare pricing, including that prices vary between hospitals in the same region. “One patient in Wisconsin saved $1,095 by shopping for two tests between two hospitals located within 30 minutes of one another,” according to the statement. The White House claims one economic analysis found Trump’s original price transparency rules, if fully implemented, could deliver savings of $80 billion for consumers, employers and insurers by 2025. “The hospital wanted me to pay $3,700 up front for a simple fibroid removal surgery,” Arizona patient Theresa Schmotzer said in a statement at the time of the billboard’s placement. “Because that seemed high, I went looking for what it should cost. I found the actual price online and saw that my share was only $700 not $3,700. Because I had access to real prices, not estimates, I saved $3,000. President Trump’s executive order on healthcare price transparency will allow more people to find real prices and save.” States across the country have been pushing similar measures in the form of legislation to ensure that patients are given more transparency about the healthcare costs they are assuming, including in Ohio, where legislation was recently signed into law requiring hospitals to post exact prices in dollars and cents for all available services. “They’ll be able to check them, compare them, go to different locations, so they can shop for the highest-quality care at the lowest cost,” Trump wrote in a statement when he signed the executive order. “And this is about high-quality care. You’re also looking at that. You’re looking at comparisons between talents, which is very important. And, then, you’re also looking at cost. And, in some cases, you get the best doctor for the lowest cost. That’s a good thing.” Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.

White House displays lawn signs highlighting illegal immigrant crime

The White House lawn is lined with posters of 100 of the “worst illegal immigrant criminals” arrested in the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term. “Good Morning from The White House!” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X on Monday morning, sharing video of the posters, which say “arrested” at the top and appear to have a mugshot or other photo of the person followed by the label “illegal alien.” The bottom of the poster lists a crime the person is accused of committing, including rape, murder, sexual assault of a child, lewd acts in front of a child, and distribution of fentanyl and illegal guns. OVER 100 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED IN COLORADO SPRINGS MASSIVE UNDERGROUND NIGHTCLUB RAID “We will hunt you down. You will face justice. You will be deported — and you will never set foot on American soil again,” the White House wrote in a separate X post. “Oh, and your mugshot may just end up on a yard sign at the White House.” Leavitt and Border Czar Tom Homan have an early morning press briefing scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Monday. The White House highlighted several higher-profile cases featured on the yard signs. There’s a poster of Jose Enrique Pol Troncoso, a 31-year-old Dominican national arrested earlier this month by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Miami. He was convicted of fentanyl possession and carrying a concealed weapon. His criminal histo also includes cocaine and heroin possession and stalking in Orange County, Florida, according to the White House. Last month, ICE Houston arrested 66-year-old Guatemalan national Norberto Che Xol, whose photo is also featured at the White House Monday. He was convicted of indecent sexual contact with a child in Harris County, Texas. The White House is also displaying the image of Virginia Basora Gonzalez – a Dominican woman previously deported for fentanyl trafficking who broke down in tears when she was arrested by federal agents again in Philadelphia last month. Gonzalez had a final order of removal dated March 4, 2020. Her criminal history includes a conviction for attempted possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl in Philadelphia, according to the White House. Fox News’ Patrick Ward contributed to this report.

Illinois candidate for Durbin Senate seat consolidates support with Duckworth endorsement

Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton picked up an endorsement from Sen. Tammy Duckworth in the primary to succeed the retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. Stratton launched her campaign last week after Durbin, an 80-year-old who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, announced he would not seek re-election in 2026. She was endorsed last week by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. “Juliana has not only proven to be an experienced and effective Lieutenant Governor — she’s demonstrated time and again that she truly understands and cares for working people,” Duckworth, who represented Illinois, told Politico. “I’d be honored to have her by my side in the Senate as we work to deliver real results for Illinoisans, and I’m proud to endorse her campaign,” she added. DICK DURBIN, NO. 2 SENATE DEMOCRAT, WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION In her campaign launch video, Stratton said, “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are trying to distract us to create such a mess that we don’t even know where to start. But in Washington, they’re still doing the same old things they’ve always done, and that old playbook isn’t working.” Stratton described herself as the daughter of a teacher and Navy veteran from the South Side of Chicago, and a mother of four. She told Politico that she was “honored” by Duckworth’s endorsement and that “Tammy is a true leader for Illinois who doesn’t back down from a challenge.” DURBIN SAYS ELDERLY LAWMAKERS SHOULD CONSIDER LEAVING POLITICS ‘BEFORE THEY’RE CARRIED OUT’ The outlet also reported that Stratton had previously appeared alongside Duckworth to support the Asian American community during Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Last Wednesday, Durbin said, “The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy.” “I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term,” he added. Durbin becomes the fourth Democrat in the Senate whose term is up at the end of next year who decided against seeking re-election in the 2026 midterms, joining Sens. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Gary Peters of Michigan, and Tina Smith of Minnesota. Fox News’ Michael Dorgan and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

EXCLUSIVE: Trump has achieved more in 100 days than ‘most presidents’ in their lifetimes, Johnson says

EXCLUSIVE: Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said President Donald Trump has accomplished more in the first 100 days of his tenure than “most politicians or presidents accomplish in their entire lifetimes.” The top House Republican said this first period of a new GOP trifecta in government has been a “flurry of activity” used to set the stage for the party’s plans to pass a massive piece of legislation setting up Trump’s priorities on defense, taxes, energy and the border. “So much of what we’ve done is leading up to the big reconciliation bill, and that is the legislative vehicle, as I’ve explained to people, it will help us, through which we will deliver the president’s America First agenda,” Johnson told Fox News Digital. “We’ve done it with arguably the smallest margin in the history of the Congress, so challenges every day, but it’s been very rewarding to lead us through that.” MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE He noted that Trump and Congress had worked together on passing the Laken Riley Act, and on keeping transgender women out of biological women’s spaces. But the speaker also acknowledged that Trump has acted quite a bit on his own, as well. “He’s issued, I think, 110 executive orders and many other executive actions. And we’ve been working to codify so much of that. It’s been kind of a partnership,” Johnson said. But not everyone views it as equal. Democrats have accused Republicans of acquiescing power to Trump on issues ranging from tariffs to government funding. “I don’t think we’ve ceded any authority. I think that he’s doing what is within his scope to do. There’s an assumption made by Congress that the administration, whoever is in the administration, will use the money that is appropriated to the executive branch as a good steward, that they will take every measure possible to prevent fraud, waste and abuse,” Johnson said. “And tariffs as well – the president, whomever is president, has a responsibility and I think an expectation from Congress that they will deal with unfair trade partners around the globe.” He also pointed out that a significant number of Trump’s orders have targeted Biden administration actions or policies that were similarly enacted without Congress. SENATE GOP PUSHES TRUMP BUDGET FRAMEWORK THROUGH AFTER MARATHON VOTE SERIES “I don’t think the president has engaged in executive overreach,” Johnson said. “So much of what he’s done by executive order is reversing executive orders of his predecessor. So, it looks like he’s doing a lot, but he’s unwinding the damage done by the previous occupant of the Oval Office. So, he certainly has latitude to do that.” But Johnson, a former constitutional law attorney who styled himself “a jealous guardian of Article I,” vowed he would raise his concerns with Trump if he ever felt Congress’ power was being infringed. “I don’t think he’s crossed the line yet. If he does, or if he did, you know, I would address it with him personally as a concern, as a partner, and explain that I think it’s been overdone,” he said.

Trump says income tax cuts, and perhaps elimination, coming due to tariffs

President Donald Trump said that some people’s income taxes will be lowered or perhaps even completely eliminated due to tariffs. “When Tariffs cut in, many people’s Income Taxes will be substantially reduced, maybe even completely eliminated. Focus will be on people making less than $200,000 a year,” he declared in a post on Truth Social. “Also, massive numbers of jobs are already being created, with new plants and factories currently being built or planned. It will be a BONANZA FOR AMERICA!!! THE EXTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE IS HAPPENING!!!” the president added. TRUMP SAYS THERE’S A ‘REAL CHANCE’ TARIFFS COULD REPLACE INCOME TAX The president discussed income tax and tariffs while speaking to reporters on Sunday. “And eventually we’ll be reducing taxes very substantially for the people of our country, because the money is so great coming in from tariffs that I’ll be able to reduce taxes … to a very large extent, and maybe almost completely,” he said. TRUMP PROPOSES ABOLISHMENT OF FEDERAL INCOME TAX, BRINGING US BACK TO ‘RICHEST PERIOD’ IN HISTORY “And it’s possible we’ll do a complete tax cut, because I think the tariffs will be enough to cut all of the income tax,” he noted. The president indicated Americans will be given “a tremendous tax cut,” starting “with people making less than $200,000 dollars a year.” TRUMP KICKS OFF WHIRLWIND WEEK MARKING HIS 100TH DAY BACK IN THE OVAL OFFICE Trump, who will mark the 100-day milestone of his second term in office this week, is slated to hold a rally in Michigan on Tuesday.

Year: 2025