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Year: 2025

‘Unlucky’ Honduran woman arrested after allegedly running red light and crashing into ICE vehicle

‘Unlucky’ Honduran woman arrested after allegedly running red light and crashing into ICE vehicle

A Honduran national had an “unlucky” encounter with Border Patrol enforcement on Friday. The woman allegedly ran a red light in Slidell, Louisiana, and rammed into an Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE) vehicle, U.S. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino wrote on X. ICE AGENTS OPEN FIRE ON VAN DRIVER WHO ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO RUN THEM OVER ON CHRISTMAS EVE “Apparently she never learned the lesson that red means stop,” Bovino wrote. “Not ‘accelerate and collide with a government vehicle actively enforcing federal law.’” No injuries were reported as a result of the crash, according to the post, but Bovino said she was “certainly taken into custody” following the accident. “Unlucky for her. Lucky for us,” Bovino continued in the post. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT BITES ICE OFFICER IN ‘GROSS ATTACK’ WHILE RESISTING ARREST: DHS  Federal agents were reportedly in the area as part of the Operation Catahoula Crunch. The operation targets illegal immigrants in the New Orleans area, according to officials.  “Catahoula Crunch targets include violent criminals who were released after arrest for home invasion, armed robbery, grand theft auto and rape,” Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. ICE has reportedly apprehended approximately 370 people in the area, according to a Dec. 18 update.  ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCK DRIVER ACCUSED IN FATAL WASHINGTON CRASH RELEASED ON $100,000 BOND “DHS is making the New Orleans community safer as it continues to arrest illegal alien drug dealers, hit-and-run criminals, and one monster who was convicted for arson and threatening a person with intent to terrorize,” McLaughlin said. The DHS reported that it has deported more than 622,000 individuals in 2025 as of Dec. 19.  The department also reported that 2.5 million illegal immigrants have left the country, and an estimated 1.9 million self-deportations have occurred since President Donald Trump‘s crackdown on immigration. Details about the Honduran woman were not made publicly available.  DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Elon Musk warns ‘people will die’ over Mamdani’s FDNY commissioner pick, Lillian Bonsignore

Elon Musk warns ‘people will die’ over Mamdani’s FDNY commissioner pick, Lillian Bonsignore

Elon Musk on Friday slammed incoming New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for selecting a woman without operational firefighting experience as the head of the Fire Department of the City of New York City (FDNY). “People will die because of this,” the billionaire provocateur, who served in President Donald Trump’s administration, wrote on X. “Proven experience matters when lives are at stake.” Mamdani, who will take office Jan. 1, appointed Lillian Bonsignore, a 31-year FDNY veteran who led EMS Operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, as FDNY commissioner this week. She retired in 2022. SENATE CONFIRMS ERIC ISAACMAN AS NASA CHIEF MONTHS AFTER TRUMP-MUSK RIFT THAT MAY HAVE PULLED HIS NOMINATION  “The first woman to achieve a 4-star rank in FDNY history, she’s joining us as the FDNY Commissioner to bring her crisis leadership and operational expertise to this administration,” Mamdani wrote on X Tuesday. Bonsignore will be only the second woman to hold the position and the first openly gay person in the role. LETITIA JAMES, BERNIE SANDERS TO SWEAR IN FAR LEFT NYC MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI Mamdani quickly responded to Musk on X, writing on Saturday, “Experience does matter, which is why I appointed the person who spent more than 30 years at EMS. You know, the workforce that addresses at least 70% of all calls coming into FDNY?” Fox News Digital has reached out to the FDNY and Mamdani’s team for comment. “I am honored, so honored, and humbled to stand before you as the new fire commissioner,” Bonsignore said at a Tuesday news conference. “This appointment represents a significant responsibility, one I accept with humility, dedication and a deep sense of commitment to the city and its people.” Outgoing NYC Mayor Eric Adams also made his own FDNY commissioner appointment this week, FDNY First Deputy Commissioner Mark Guerra.  “Under our administration, keeping New Yorkers safe and protected has always been our North Star, and having principled, qualified public servants in place to lead our critical public safety agencies is crucial to fulfilling that goal; there’s no person who meets those high standards (like) Commissioner Mark Guerra,” Adams said Tuesday.  “Lillian’s light is one that can’t be dimmed by anything else that takes place,” Mamdani said in response, according to FOX 5. “The mayor is free to continue to be the mayor until the end of this year and make decisions as such.”

FBI ramps up counter-drone efforts as Patel warns of growing threats from criminals, terrorists

FBI ramps up counter-drone efforts as Patel warns of growing threats from criminals, terrorists

FBI Director Kash Patel said Saturday that the Trump administration is ramping up its efforts to combat the growing threat posed by drones used by criminal networks, terrorist groups and foreign adversaries, launching a new national training program to help law enforcement detect and stop unlawful drone activity. Patel said the bureau has invested significant time and resources this year into modernizing its capabilities to counter unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). “Unmanned aircrafts are increasingly exploited by criminals, terrorists, and hostile foreign actors — making the counter UAS program a critical area for the FBI to modernize and adapt to stay ahead of the threat,” Patel wrote on X. Patel said President Donald Trump signed an executive order in June that led to the creation of a National Counter-UAS Training Center, which the FBI operates out of its Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL SAYS BUREAU RAMPING UP AI TO COUNTER DOMESTIC, GLOBAL THREATS The FBI director said the new training center prepares law enforcement to safely detect, identify, track and mitigate unlawful drone activity when legally authorized, in compliance with the National Defense Authorization Act passed by Congress this year. Patel said the facility will play a key role in preparing security operations for major upcoming events in the U.S., including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. “This is an investment that will pay huge dividends for America’s national security in the years to come,” he added. TRUMP ADMIN CUTS RED TAPE ON COMMERCIAL DRONES TO COMPETE WITH CHINA’S DOMINANCE OF THE MARKET Patel’s post underscores how the FBI is making counter-drone operations a top modernization priority, framing drones as an evolving national security threat. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino wrote on X Saturday that the “drone threat isn’t in the future, it’s in the now,” adding that the Trump administration was taking action to adapt to a “new threat ecosystem.” On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission announced it would ban new foreign-made drones due to national security concerns. The FCC added UAS and their critical components made in China and other foreign countries to its “covered list” that includes equipment determined to pose an “unacceptable risk” to U.S. national security and the safety of Americans. Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.

DHS official rips Kilmar Abrego Garcia for ‘making TikToks’ while agency faces gag order

DHS official rips Kilmar Abrego Garcia for ‘making TikToks’ while agency faces gag order

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin on Saturday took aim at Kilmar Abrego Garcia for “making TikToks” while DHS remains constrained by an “activist judge.” McLaughlin was reacting to a minute-long video that appears to show Abrego Garcia, an El Salvadoran illegal immigrant who became a flashpoint in the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign, filming himself lip-syncing to a song in Spanish.  “So we, at [DHS], are under gag order by an activist judge and Kilmar Abrego Garcia is making TikToks,” McLaughlin wrote. “American justice ceases to function when its arbiters silence law enforcement and give megaphones to those who oppose our legal system.” JUDGE BLOCKS ICE FROM RE-DETAINING ABREGO GARCIA — BUT SIGNALS RULING COULD COME FAST KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA RELEASED AFTER JUDGE RULES TRUMP ADMIN LACKED VALID REMOVAL ORDER A court order had previously been issued by an Obama-appointed federal judge that restricts DHS and other Trump administration officials from publicly discussing Abrego Garcia’s human smuggling case. That order was later narrowed, according to The Tennessee Star. Abrego Garcia had repeatedly sought to curb public criticism from Trump administration officials, arguing the remarks threaten his right to a fair trial, Politico reported. ABREGO GARCIA RELEASED FROM JAIL, WILL RETURN TO MARYLAND TO AWAIT TRIAL Abrego Garcia’s case has drawn national attention since March, when he was deported to his home country of El Salvador in violation of a 2019 court order and in what Trump officials acknowledge was an “administrative error.” Upon his return to the U.S., Abrego Garcia was immediately taken into federal custody and detained on human smuggling charges from a 2022 traffic stop. The Trump administration has claimed he is a member of MS-13, which Abrego Garcia denies.  A federal judge this week canceled Abrego Garcia’s trial and scheduled a hearing to review whether prosecutors pursued the human smuggling charges vindictively, according to The Associated Press. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis on Monday also extended a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from immediately detaining Abrego Garcia again after failing to produce a final removal order.  The ruling keeps in place an earlier order that secured his release from ICE custody. DHS and a defense attorney for Abrego Garcia did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano, Breanne Deppisch and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.

Walz slammed in wake of viral video that raises daycare funding questions: ‘Needs to be held accountable’

Walz slammed in wake of viral video that raises daycare funding questions: ‘Needs to be held accountable’

Politicians took to social media Saturday to criticize Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz after a viral video raised questions about a Minneapolis daycare center that allegedly received millions of dollars in state funding despite appearing largely inactive. Responding to an X post highlighting allegations of Somali Medicaid fraud and voter fraud in the state, Vice President JD Vance described the situation as “a microcosm of the immigration fraud in our system.” “Politicians like it because they get power. Welfare cheats like it because they get rich,” Vance wrote. “But it’s a zero sum game, and they’re stealing both money and political power from Minnesotans.” TRUMP CABINET OFFICIAL CALLS ON WALZ TO RESIGN OVER MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL IN SCATHING LETTER: ‘SHAME ON YOU’ Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., demanded Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz be “held accountable.” “Folks need to be arrested and prosecuted and the Governor of Minnesota needs to be held accountable,” Lawler posted to X on Saturday. “Congress should hold a hearing immediately and start getting answers.” A 42-minute video posted to X and YouTube on Friday by independent reporter Nick Shirley shows Shirley and another man visiting several childcare centers in the blue state, including a location on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. The footage shows no visible activity at the site, which displays a misspelled sign that says “Quality Learing Center,” even though the center is reportedly supposed to account for 99 children and received roughly $4 million in state funds. HHS PROBES MINNESOTA’S USE OF BILLIONS IN FEDERAL SOCIAL SERVICE FUNDS AMID FRAUD CONCERNS: REPORT Several other high-profile figures also weighed in on Shirley’s video Saturday. Donald Trump Jr. wrote on X, “If you haven’t watched this yet. Watch it. All of it. Understand that this is what journalists are supposed to do, but no one in the mainstream media will even bother to look let alone actually publish it. This is what they’re doing to your country with your tax dollars!!!” Elon Musk shared similar concerns, accusing the “radical left” of exploiting government programs to bring in and retain immigrants to “win elections and turn America into a single-party state.” MINNESOTA SENATE CANDIDATE WEARS HIJAB IN VISIT TO SOMALI MARKET AS FRAUD SCANDAL UNFOLDS “The more you look at it, the more you will be horrified at what your tax money is doing and the fact that, if this is not reversed, your vote will mean nothing,” Musk posted to X. “The most obvious case example is the Somali voting bloc in Minnesota, a state that historically had zero Somalis, electing Ilhan Omar to the US Congress.” A day earlier, Musk posted, “Prosecute [Tim Walz].” The video went viral this week amid the burgeoning scandal enveloping the Walz administration that notably included at least $1 billion lost to alleged social services fraud largely tied to the Somali community in the Twin Cities. A portion reportedly ended up in the hands of the Somali terror group Al-Shabab. Lawler and Walz did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

Affordability: The issue that boosted Trump and Republicans in 2024 deflated them in 2025

Affordability: The issue that boosted Trump and Republicans in 2024 deflated them in 2025

The economy, the issue that hurt Democrats in the 2024 elections, gave them a major boost in this year’s ballot box showdowns. “Look, we know what’s important right now,” Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin said in his speech at the DNC’s winter meeting earlier this month. “S‑‑‑ is too expensive.” One year after deep concerns over inflation helped President Donald Trump and Republicans win back the White House and Senate and keep their House majority, Democrats say their decisive victories in last month’s 2025 elections, and their overperformances in special elections and other ballot box showdowns this year were fueled by their laser focus on affordability amid persistent inflation. Democratic Governors Association Executive Director Meghan Meehan-Draper said Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, who overperformed the public opinion polls as they cruised to double-digit Election Night victories in the blue-leaning states, “stayed laser focused on the economy,” and “talked about it all day, every day.” DOUBLING DOWN: TOP HOUSE DEMOCRAT SAYS FOCUS ON AFFORDABILITY ‘ABSOLUTELY GOING TO CONTINUE’ The issue also fueled one-time longshot far-left candidate Zohran Mamdani to a mayoral victory in New York City as he made cost of living the centerpiece of his campaign. Democrats say they’ll double down on the issue of affordability heading into next year’s midterm elections, as they try to win back congressional majorities from the Republicans. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) chair says Democrats will keep their focus squarely on affordability as they aim to “take back those gavels” by capturing the House majority in next year’s midterm elections. ELECTION REFLECTION: DEMOCRATS ‘FLIPPED THE SCRIPT’ ON AFFORDABILITY  House Democrats need to flip just three GOP-held seats in 2026 to win back control of the chamber for the first time in four years. “We’re going to hold Republicans accountable for their policies that are hurting American families,” Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington state, who for a second straight election cycle is chairing the DCCC, told Fox News Digital. DelBene said she’ll keep her focus squarely on affordability as she aims to “take back those gavels.” Pointing to last year’s elections, she said, “That was their [Republicans] big message. They were going to lower costs. It has been a big broken promise, and people are feeling that, and that’s had a big impact and will continue. People want folks who are going to stand up to them for them, not just be blindly loyal to the president.” But GOP Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, chair of the rival National Republican Congressional Committee, highlighted the Republican narrative, as he took aim at former President Joe Biden, telling Fox News Digital, “There are challenges out there with the economy, because Biden broke it, and House Republicans, working with President Trump, are going to fix it, and we’re working very hard to do that. “ CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLL ON TRUMP AND THE ECONOMY It’s an argument that Trump has repeatedly voiced in recent weeks, as he’s pointed fingers at his predecessor for the persistent high costs. “When I took office last January, I inherited a mess, and very simply, I’m fixing it,” Trump said this month. But a recent Fox News national poll was full of apparent warning signs for Trump and the GOP. Three-quarters of voters questioned in the survey viewed the economy negatively, and large numbers of respondents, including Republicans, said their costs for groceries, utilities, healthcare and housing have gone up this year. The poll indicated that voters blame the president, with nearly twice as many pointing fingers at Trump than former President Joe Biden, when asked who is responsible for the current economy. And Trump’s approval rating when it comes to the economy has dropped to record lows in surveys by Fox News and other organizations. While Trump has repeatedly described the Democrats’ focus on affordability as a “hoax,” he has also become more engaged in combating high prices in recent weeks, as the president has scaled back some of his tariffs and pledged to lower high food prices. And Trump this month made stops in two key battlegrounds — Pennsylvania and North Carolina — to tout his efforts to combat high prices. Trump was buoyed this past week by better than expected government reports on inflation and economic growth, and Republicans see better days ahead when it comes to the issue of affordability. Former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley, the Trump-backed Republican Senate candidate in next year’s race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis, told Fox News Digital “we’re seeing signs already that the economy is starting to tick up and is starting to take hold as the President’s policies are getting in place.” Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told Fox News Digital, “2026 is a year of affordability, and the great news is President Trump has been producing time and time again.” Pointing to the tax cut provisions in the GOP’s sweeping domestic policy measure signed into law this past summer by Trump, Scott said “2026 is shaping up to be the year where Donald Trump’s activities, his actions, the legislation we’ve passed, shows up for the American voter. And consumers all across the country will see a more affordable economy because of President Trump and the Senate majority and the House majority in the hands of the Republican Party.” But Martin and the Democrats see it differently. The DNC chair accuses Republicans of not inheriting a “mess — they manufactured it. They took the economy and drove it straight into a ditch. They took certainty and swapped it for chaos.” And Martin predicts Trump and Republicans headed for a ballot box disaster. “Donald Trump has lost the economy, is losing his mind, and is going to lose the midterms,” Martin charged.