Trump administration refers NY AG Letitia James for possible prosecution over allegations of mortgage fraud
New York Attorney General Letitia James has been hit with shocking allegations by the Trump administration, accusing her of mortgage fraud. In documents obtained by Fox News Channel’s The Ingraham Angle, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sent a criminal referral to the Department of Justice, accusing James of mortgage fraud. FHFA Director William Pulte said in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi that James appears to have falsified records in order to meet certain lending requirements and receive favorable loan terms. Pulte cited a property in Virginia that James allegedly claimed as her principal residence, and a property in New York that she claimed as a four-unit structure instead of five, which he said could mean she was able to get a different and more favorable loan. COURT NAMES NEW JUDGE IN TRUMP CIVIL FRAUD CASE BEFORE REASSIGNING PREVIOUS JUDGE HOURS LATER Fox News contributor and George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley told Ingraham the irony of James getting accused of falsifying records is “perfectly crushing.” “This is a person who prosecuted Trump for everything short of ripping a label off a mattress, and among the charges that were brought in New York, in just the civil but the criminal case, was making false or misleading statements to financial institutions,” Turley said. “As for James, if we apply the Letitia James standard that she created, there’d be little question here. This seems pretty straightforward.” He explained that the Trump administration is saying this was not her principal residence because, as a New York elected official, she has to say her principal residence is in New York. ‘PLAYING WITH THE COURTS’: TRUMP ADMIN HIT WITH DOZENS OF SUITS AFTER YEARS OF PRESIDENT CONDEMNING ‘LAWFARE’ James is also accused of stating that her father is her husband in order to file as a married couple, Turley added. “The Supreme Court just stated earlier in March, in a case called Thompson, that they want to see knowing false statements under sections like 10-14, not just misleading statements,” Turley said. “These are misleading statements: either it’s your principal residence or it’s not. Either you’re married to your father or he’s your father.” The DOJ and James did not respond to Fox News on the matter. The issue has been prosecuted in the past, but as Turley said on the Ingraham Angle, the “documents themselves are quite damning.” ‘ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY’: LEGAL EXPERTS SHRED NY V. TRUMP AS ‘ONE OF THE WORST’ CASES IN HISTORY The New York Post reported that the documents show that the property James purchased with her father had both parties listed as “husband and wife” in 1983 and 2000. “While this was a long time ago, it raises serious concerns about the validity of Ms. James representations on mortgage applications,” Pulte reportedly wrote. James brought forth a civil fraud suit against President Donald Trump, the Trump Organization and its senior leadership in 2022, frequently sitting in the courtroom throughout the proceedings, and celebrated the prosecution of Trump in the Manhattan criminal trial over the 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump was ordered to pay a $454 million civil fraud judgment in James’ lawsuit against him, which is currently on appeal. So far in 2025, James has spearheaded at least five legal actions against the Trump administration, including leading a coalition of state attorneys general to sue the federal government to halt DOGE’s access to the Treasury Department’s internal systems, as well as another lawsuit related to the Trump admin slashing grant funding to research institutions and universities. Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Second shooting at Dallas high school in a year injures four students
Hours after the shooting, officials said the suspect, who has yet to be apprehended, had evaded security protocols at Wilmer-Hutchins High School.
Texas House OKs bill that gives schools more latitude to discipline students
A last-minute amendment would require students to go to alternative education settings if they attack a teacher or make terroristic threats.
White House quietly floats millionaire tax hike proposal in Congress as GOP leaders signal opposition
White House aides are quietly floating a proposal within the House GOP that would raise the tax rate for people making more than $1 million to 40%, two sources familiar with discussions told Fox News Digital, to offset the cost of eliminating tips on overtime pay, tipped wages, and retirees’ Social Security. The sources stressed the discussions were only preliminary, and the plan is one of many being talked about as congressional Republicans work on advancing President Donald Trump’s agenda via the budget reconciliation process. Trump and his White House have not yet taken a position on the matter, but the idea is being looked at by his aides and staff on Capitol Hill. Meanwhile House GOP leaders including Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., have publicly opposed the idea of any tax hikes. TRUMP OPEN TO SENDING VIOLENT AMERICAN CRIMINALS TO EL SALVADOR PRISONS “I’m not a big fan of doing that. I mean, we’re the Republican Party and we’re for tax reduction for everyone,” Johnson said on “Sunday Morning Futures.” One GOP lawmaker asked about the proposal and granted anonymity to speak candidly said they would be open to supporting it but preferred a higher starting point than $1 million. They said the reaction was “mixed” among other House Republicans. But not all House GOP lawmakers are privy to the discussions, and it’s not immediately clear how wide the proposal has been circulated. Nevertheless, it signals that Republicans are deeply divided on how to go about enacting Trump’s tax agenda. MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE Extending Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and enacting his newer tax proposals is a cornerstone of Republicans’ plans for the budget reconciliation process. By lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51, it allows the party in power to skirt opposition to pass a sweeping piece of legislation advancing its own priorities – provided the measures deal with tax, spending, or the national debt. Extending Trump’s tax cuts is expected to cost trillions of dollars alone. But even if Republicans use a budgetary calculation to hide its cost, known as current policy baseline, they will still have to find a path forward for new policies eliminating taxes on tips, overtime pay, and retirees’ Social Security checks. Hiking taxes on the ultra-wealthy could also serve to put Democrats in a tricky political situation in forcing them to choose between supporting Trump’s policies and opposing an idea they’ve pushed for years. The top income tax rate is currently about 37% on $609,351 in earnings for a single person or $731,201 for married couples. But raising the rate for millionaires could be one way to pay for Trump’s new tax policies. House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., one of the deficit hawks leading the charge to ensure new spending is paired with deep cuts elsewhere, said “That’s one possibility.” “What I’d like to do is I’d actually like to find spending reductions elsewhere in the budget, but if we can’t get enough spending reductions, we’re going to have to pay for our tax cuts,” Harris told “Mornings with Maria” last week. “Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the highest tax bracket was 39.6%, it was less than $1 million. Ideally, what we could do, again, if we can’t find spending reductions, we say ‘Okay, let’s restore that higher bracket, let’s set it at maybe $2 million income and above,’ to help pay for the rest of the president’s agenda.” But Johnson’s No. 2, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., again poured cold water on the idea Tuesday. “I don’t support that initiative,” Scalise told “Mornings with Maria,” though he added, “everything’s on the table.” “That’s why you hear all kind of ideas being bounced around. And if we take no action, then you’d have over 90% of Americans see a tax increase,” Scalise warned. Bloomberg News was first to report House Republicans’ 40% tax hike proposal. When reached for comment, the White House pointed Fox News Digital to comments by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier on Tuesday when she said Trump had not made up his mind on another proposal to raise the corporate tax rate. “I’ve seen this idea proposed. I’ve heard this idea discussed. But I don’t believe the president has made a determination on whether he supports it or not,” Leavitt said. Fox News Digital also reached out to Johnson’s office for comment.
Biden returns to podium for first time to slam Trump’s Social Security plans: ‘Wreck it so they could rob it’
Former President Joe Biden took shots at the Trump administration’s Social Security policies in his first major speech since leaving the White House on Tuesday evening. “Seriously, people are now genuinely concerned for the first time in history, for the first and only time in history, that Social Security benefits may be delayed or interrupted,” Biden said from the Advocates, Counselors and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) conference in Chicago on Tuesday evening. “In the 90 years, since Franklin Roosevelt created the Social Security system, people have always gotten their Social Security checks. They’ve gotten them during wartime, during recessions, during the pandemic. No matter what, they got them. But now, for the first time ever, that might change. It would be calamity for millions of families, millions of people,” he added. The ACRD conference was billed as the 46th president’s first public speech since leaving the White House. Biden however, has delivered other public remarks since Jan. 20, Fox Digital found, including speaking before the National High School Model United Nations in March, which received little media attention, as well as joining an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers event this month. ACRD is an advocacy organization that works to equip “disability professionals with the tools, technology, and training to lead the industry forward,” according to its website. BIDEN AIDES ‘SCRIPTED’ EVERYTHING, ALLOWED HIS FACULTIES TO ‘ATROPHY,’ NEW BOOK CLAIMS Biden’s keynote address, which ran less than an hour, overwhelmingly focused on his accomplishments with Social Security when he served as president, taking aim at how the Trump administration is allegedly keeping the elderly up at night with worry over their Social Security benefits, as well as cracking a few jokes about his decades in politics. MOST BIDEN RALLY APPEARANCES ARE SHORTER THAN A SITCOM, HELPING FUEL STAMINA CONCERNS CRITICISMS MOUNT THAT BIDEN IS A ‘SHADOW’ OF HIMSELF AFTER DISASTROUS DEBATE: ‘NOT THE SAME MAN’ FROM VP ERA “Why are these guys taking aim at Social Security now?” Biden asked, referring to the Trump administration. “Well, they’re following that old line from tech startups. The quote is ‘move fast, break things.’ They’re certainly breaking things. They’re shooting first, and aiming later.” “The result is a lot of needless pain and sleepless nights,” Biden said. ‘EMBARRASSINGLY WRONG’: LIBERAL MEDIA FIGURES ADMIT BEING IN DENIAL ABOUT BIDEN’S MENTAL DECLINE The Trump administration has cut about 7,000 Social Security Administration staffers since taking office as part of its mission to cut government fat and bureaucracy, and realign agencies with “America First” policies. Democrats have slammed President Donald Trump over the cuts, claiming he will cut Social Security benefits to seniors. The White House has repeatedly rejected claims that the Trump administration will cut such benefits, vowing to “always protect” Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits. Biden continued that the Trump administration is allegedly looking to “wreck” Social Security to “rob it.” “My friend Gov. O’Malley knows what they’re really up to. He says, and I love his quote, ‘They want to wreck it so they could rob it.’ They want to wreck it so they could rob it. Why do they want to rob it? In order to deliver huge tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations and keep it going. They want to make permanent the 2017 tax cuts, which overwhelmingly benefits the wealthiest Americans and the biggest corporations. That’s going to cost $5 trillion. Where are they going to get $5 trillion to pay for, when they continue to run the deficit up?” “What they always do … by running up the national debt, number one. Then by taking the money from someplace else. What are the two big pots of money out there in raw numbers? Social Security and Medicaid. …. Republicans, these guys are willing to hurt the middle class and the working class, in order to deliver significant, greater wealth to their already very wealthy. Who in the hell do they think they are?” he said. Former Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and former Democrat Maryland Gov. and Social Security Administrator Martin O’Malley also joined the event. O’Malley presented Biden with ACRD’s “beacon of hope award” for his accomplishments as president, including his leadership during the pandemic and fighting for the “dignity of every person.” EX-BIDEN AIDE SAYS FORMER PRESIDENT WAS ‘FATIGUED, BEFUDDLED, AND DISENGAGED’ PRIOR TO JUNE DEBATE: BOOK Biden added during that the nation is “divided” under Trump and can’t continue on the same path. “We can’t go on like this as a divided nation, as divided as we are. I said, I’ve been doing this a long time, it’s never been this divided. Granted, it’s roughly 30%, but it’s a 30% that has no heart,” he continued. The Trump administration’s official Social Security X account hit back after the speech that “Biden is lying to Americans,” before providing a detailed list of “facts,” including that Trump has repeatedly pledged to protect benefits and that no field office has been closed since Jan. 20. “SSA is taking commonsense steps to transform how we serve the public – last month, we spent $16.5 million to modernize telephone services nationwide. We’re developing cutting-edge, AI-powered tools to streamline simple tasks,” the thread continued. “SSA Inspector General report released while Joe Biden was President found $72 billion in improper payments from fiscal years 2015 through 2022.” The event comes as political books investigating the 2024 campaign cycle hit the shelves, including “Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History” and “FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House.” BIDEN’S TEAM HID THE TRUTH ABOUT HIS HEALTH ALL ALONG: WH PRESS SEC Excerpts from Chris Whipple’s “Unchartered” reported that White House staffers allegedly kept Biden from socializing with others, including close allies and friends, out of fear the 46th president “might say the wrong thing or might feed the mental acuity narrative.” While he also appeared “absolutely exhausted” ahead of his ill-fated debate against Trump in June, according to the book, which opened
Sudan paramilitary declares rival government two years into civil war
Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces declares rival authority in areas under its control, as the United States expresses alarm over its alleged targeting of civilians in Darfur. Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has announced the formation of a rival government, two years since the country descended into a brutal war that has left tens of thousands dead and triggered what the United Nations calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo — also known as Hemedti — declared on Tuesday the establishment of the “Government of Peace and Unity” in areas under its control. The move directly challenges the army-led administration headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. “On this anniversary, we proudly declare the establishment of the Government of Peace and Unity, a broad coalition that reflects the true face of Sudan,” Dagalo said on Telegram. The RSF and its allies had already signed a charter in Nairobi in February, laying out their intention to form an alternative authority. Dagalo said they had now endorsed a transitional constitution, which he described as a “roadmap for a new Sudan”. The document proposes a 15-member presidential council representing all regions of the country. Advertisement Experts have long warned that the protracted conflict risks permanently fracturing Sudan. Sharath Srinivasan, a Sudan specialist at the University of Cambridge, told the AFP news agency that the RSF’s entrenchment in Darfur could result in “de facto separation.” Since war erupted on 15 April 2023, nearly 13 million people have been displaced, with no political solution in sight. The fighting began after months of tension between Sudan’s military and the RSF, once close allies who jointly led the 2021 coup that derailed a civilian-led transition. US condemns RSF violence in Darfur As the RSF seeks to consolidate control in western Sudan, the paramilitary and its allied militias are facing renewed international scrutiny over their conduct in the war. The United States on Tuesday criticised the RSF for attacking civilians in and around the Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps – home to hundreds of thousands of displaced people – in the North Darfur region in recent days. The UN said at least 300 civilians were killed in the RSF attacks on the camps on Friday and Saturday. “We are deeply alarmed by reports the RSF has deliberately targeted civilians and humanitarian actors,” said US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. She called for all parties to respect international humanitarian law and face accountability for violations. Donor conference With Sudan’s humanitarian crisis deepening, the United Kingdom hosted a donor conference in London, where international partners pledged to ramp up support. Advertisement The European Union pledged over $592m, while the UK committed an additional $158m. “We do need patient diplomacy,” UK Home Secretary David Lammy said. “We cannot resign ourselves to inevitable conflict. We cannot be back here, one year from now, having the same discussion.” Sudan’s military-aligned government criticised the gathering, noting that no representatives from either faction were invited. The conference’s co-chairs issued a unified call for an immediate ceasefire and a transition to civilian rule, stressing the importance of preventing Sudan’s partition and keeping external actors from interfering. Adblock test (Why?)
The Texas House is set to vote on school vouchers and public school funding. Here’s what you need to know.
The vote will be the proposal’s biggest test yet and will show whether Gov. Greg Abbott has built enough support since a similar bill died in the lower chamber in 2023.
Army takes control of federal land along New Mexico border to increase security, protect the environment
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum visited New Mexico on Tuesday to announce the U.S. Army will take control of nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border, the latest attempt to curb illegal immigration and trafficking. The 109,651 acres of federal land will be transferred to the Army for three years, subject to valid existing rights, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of the Interior. The move comes after President Donald Trump last week signed a memorandum, “Military Mission for Sealing the Southern Border of the United States and Repelling Invasions,” directing the secretaries of Defense, Interior, Agriculture and Homeland Security to take control of federal lands “reasonably necessary to enable military activities.” The switch in jurisdiction will allow the government to protect sensitive natural and cultural resources in the region, while helping the Army support U.S. Border Patrol operations in securing the border and preventing illegal immigration, according to the Department of the Interior. NAVY DEPLOYS ANOTHER HOUTHI-FIGHTING WARSHIP TO NEW US SOUTHERN BORDER MISSION “Securing our border and protecting our nation’s resources go hand in hand,” Burgum said in the statement. “The American people gave President Trump a mandate to make America safe and strong again.” Burgum said the change reflects Interior’s commitment to public safety, national security and responsible stewardship of public lands. TRUMP ORDERS MILITARY TO TAKE CONTROL OF FEDERAL LAND AT SOUTHERN BORDER The Army requested the transfer on “an emergency basis,” so they could increase regular patrols by federal personnel. Trump declared a national emergency earlier this year along the southern border. The Army will also be able to build infrastructure to prevent illegal immigrants, human traffickers and narcotics from crossing the border. The department noted the crisis along the border is not limited to national security and law enforcement concerns, but also “presents an environmental crisis.” Nearly two dozen federally endangered species live in the region, which was previously managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The region also contains cultural sites that range from small artifact scatters to large multiroom pueblos, which could be harmed by repeated foot traffic, unregulated vehicle use and the creation of informal trails or camps, according to the statement. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP High-traffic illegal crossings could lead to soil erosion, damage to fragile desert vegetation and critical wildlife habitat, loss and damage to cultural resources, increased fire risk and pollution from trash and human waste. The department acknowledged some of the land transferred to the Army is essential to the livelihoods of local communities and said the Bureau of Land Management will work with the Army to ensure “some” uses will continue to support local grazing and mining.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Leak source located?
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… -CDC eyes narrower COVID-19 vaccine guidance ahead of 2025–2026 season -Top Republican warns families of ‘largest tax hike in history’ next year if Trump budget fails –Biden to address disability advocates in first major speech since leaving White House A top advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was escorted out of the Pentagon on Tuesday and placed on administrative leave, according to a Defense Department official. Reuters first reported Caldwell had been placed on leave for an “unauthorized disclosure” of information amid an investigation into Pentagon leaks. An official confirmed to Fox News Digital that Reuters’ reporting is accurate but declined to comment on an ongoing investigation. Caldwell previously worked at restraint-minded think tank Defense Priorities and Concerned Veterans for America, a group formerly led by Hegseth. A foreign policy realist, he has argued that the U.S. should dramatically reduce its footprint in Europe and pull out forces in Iraq and Syria…Read more ‘NEED TO COMPLY’: SCOTUS should hold Trump admin in contempt over deported Salvadoran migrant DEPORTATION BATTLE: Trump admin defies court over Maryland deportation, ignites legal showdown ‘SUPPORTING SICKNESS’: Trump says Harvard should lose its tax exempt status, be treated as ‘political entity’ amid funding dispute CHECKMATE: Trump admin strikes deal for new state-of-the-art border checkpoint in California ROLLING BACK: Trump directs agencies to follow Supreme Court rulings, as he continues to rein in administrative state ‘HIGHER SECURITY’: Top Trump agency reveals key reason why REAL ID will be enforced DISMISSED: Judge greenlights DOJ’s motion to drop gun case against Salvadoran, accused MS-13 leader BEST BROS: El Salvador’s Bukele after friendly White House meeting with Trump: ‘I miss you already, President T’ ‘BAD MEDICINE’: Schumer calls on Leland Dudek, acting commissioner of SSA, to resign GREENE DAY: Marjorie Taylor Greene brings town hall to Harris-won Georgia county, shrugs off possible ‘outbursts’ CASH DASH: House Republican campaign arm touts ‘unstoppable momentum’ with record fundraising haul ‘BIG BOOST’: GOP senator reveals why Trump’s ‘complete and total endorsement’ will be crucial for his midterm race COMEBACK KID: First Mexico-born rep targets indictment-plagued Democrat in House GOP comeback bid ‘DEEP DIVISIONS’: AOC tells rally goers don’t let Republicans ‘trick’ them into identity politics, stoking racial divisions ‘KAMALA’S PLAYBOOK’: Social media erupts after AOC debuts another ‘strange’ accent at rally: ‘Kamala’s playbook’ WAR OF THE WORDS: Left-wing lawmaker calls Trump MAGA’s ‘buffoon of a leader’: ‘Thank me later’ DEPARTMENT DISMANTLED: Shapiro leads lawsuit against Trump admin for pulling COVID-era school funding BILLION-DOLLAR BAILOUT: Newsom signs $2.8B bailout for healthcare program overrun by illegal immigrants BY THE NUMBERS: ICE using Social Security records to aid Trump push to deport illegal immigrants VISA CRACKDOWN: ACLU of Indiana sues Trump admin, claims DHS violated rights of foreign students Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
‘Cancel vacations’: Judge gives Trump admin two weeks to prove they aren’t in contempt of court
A federal judge told Trump lawyers they must expeditiously comply with her requests in the case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the Maryland resident wrongfully deported to El Salvador last month, as she weighs next steps in the politically charged case. U.S. Judge Paula Xinis told Trump administration lawyers Tuesday that they will have two weeks to comply with discovery requests in the case of Abrego Garcia, the Maryland resident deported to El Salvador last month in what Trump officials have acknowledged was an “administrative error,” demanding the government spend time detailing with what, if any, steps it is taking to facilitate his release and return to the U.S. “Cancel vacations, cancel other appointments,” Xinis told lawyers at the Tuesday evening hearing. She also said she would issue an order in writing directing the government to show her how they have complied with her order to facilitate the release of Abrego-Garcia from El Salvador. After the two-week period, she will weigh the discovery submissions and determine whether or not the government acted in good faith — or whether there is evidence that could preempt potential contempt proceedings. JUDGE BOASBERG POISED TO HOLD TRUMP ADMIN IN CONTEMPT, TAKES DOWN NAMES OF DHS OFFICIALS: ‘PRETTY SKETCHY’ Xinis stressed at the outset of the hearing that, in her view, the Supreme Court had “already spoken” in ordering the U.S. to facilitate the release of Abrego Garcia and resume his immigration proceedings as if he were never removed. “We’re going to do it in a targeted way, but we’re not going to spend a lot of time doing it,” Xinis said of the discovery process, which she stressed will move fast. Lawyers for the Justice Department said in response that they objected to her view of the Supreme Court’s ruling, and the expedited discovery — an objection she dryly quipped in response she would note for the record. “Just so everyone knows what my current thinking is, Abrego Garcia already won his injunctive proceedings,” Xinis told Trump lawyers at the outset of the hearing. “We’re here today to talk about scope of the remedies.” “You made your jurisdictional arguments. You made your venue arguments,” Xinis told Justice Department lawyer Drew Ensign. “You made your arguments on the merits. You lost.” Just minutes before the hearing, DHS acting General Counsel Joseph Mazzara said in a court filing that, should he be returned to the U.S., DHS would take him into custody and remove him to another third country, citing his alleged MS-13 membership. The hearing comes after government lawyers failed to comply with multiple directives updating the court on his location and custodial status, as well as efforts taken to facilitate his return — a lack of compliance Xinis previously described as “extremely troubling.” FEDERAL JUDGES IN NEW YORK AND TEXAS BLOCK TRUMP DEPORTATIONS AFTER SCOTUS RULING Xinis planned to weigh these developments as the court considers next steps in the case, including whether to pursue civil contempt proceedings against the administration. Lawyers for Abrego Garcia argued Tuesday that there is no evidence to show the Trump administration has taken any steps to date to facilitate his return to the U.S. as soon as possible, as ordered by Xinis and upheld by the Supreme Court last week. “The Supreme Court order requires the government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador,” his lawyers wrote. To date, they noted, the government’s updates “do not indicate that any steps have been taken to comply” with the federal and Supreme Court rulings. The administration’s apparent refusal to act — or even to clarify Abrego Garcia’s location — has pushed the case to a boiling point, raising the prospect that Xinis could move to hold the Trump administration in civil contempt. FEDERAL JUDGES IN NEW YORK AND TEXAS BLOCK TRUMP DEPORTATIONS AFTER SCOTUS RULING The hearing is the latest in a flurry of legal battles centered on Trump’s ability to deport certain migrants from the U.S. to El Salvador. Most recently, two federal judges in Texas and New York agreed to temporarily block the Trump administration‘s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act law to immediately remove some migrants from U.S. soil, siding with plaintiffs’ contention that allowing removals under the law would likely cause immediate and irreparable harm. In Brownsville, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. cited a “substantial likelihood” that the individuals in question “could not be returned to the United States” if deported. In addition to filing incomplete status updates and refusing to answer questions about Abrego Garcia’s whereabouts or efforts to secure his return, Trump officials suggested at the White House on Monday that the U.S. lacks the authority to bring him back. APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN’S DEPORTATION FLIGHTS IN ALIEN ENEMIES ACT IMMIGRATION SUIT Asked Monday about progress in returning Abrego Garcia to U.S. soil, Trump officials said his return was “up to El Salvador” and that the U.S. would “provide a plane” — appearing to ignore a court order to facilitate his return. “That’s up to El Salvador if they want to return him,” Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters. “That’s not up to us.” This contention was backed by other Cabinet officials, including White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, and by Salvadorian President Bukele himself. “How can I return him to the United States? Like if I smuggle him into the United States?” Bukele told reporters Monday during a sit-down with President Donald Trump and other senior administration officials. “Of course I’m not going to do it. The question is preposterous,” he said. As of this writing, the Trump administration has not returned any of the individuals who have been sent to El Salvador’s sprawling, high-security prison, including any Venezuelan nationals who may have been mistakenly identified as members of the Tren de Aragua gang, as well as Abrego Garcia.