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Year: 2025

Tiny Pacific nation to take up to 75 deportees as Trump administration accelerates mass removals

Tiny Pacific nation to take up to 75 deportees as Trump administration accelerates mass removals

Palau has struck a deal with the U.S. to accept up to 75 deportees from the U.S. in exchange for $7.5 million in foreign aid. The agreement will allow “third-country nationals” who have never been charged with a crime to live and work in the Pacific nation, which has a population of about 18,000 people, according to announcements Wednesday from President Surangel Whipps Jr.’s office and the U.S. Embassy in Koror. “The United States deeply appreciates Palau’s cooperation in enforcing U.S. immigration laws, which remains a top priority for the Trump administration,” the U.S. Embassy in Koror said in a statement. “In this regard, the United States granted $7.5 million to address the needs of relevant Palau public services.” HOW A TINY AFRICAN ABSOLUTE MONARCHY CAN PLAY A ‘VITAL ROLE’ IN US NATIONAL SECURITY: EXPERT The agreement was formalized through a memorandum of understanding, with Palau citing labor shortages as a key motivation. “Palau and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding allowing up to 75 third country nationals, who have never been charged with a crime, to live and work in Palau, helping address local labor shortages in needed occupations,” Whipps’ office said in a statement. EXCLUSIVE: 17,500 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED UNDER LAKEN RILEY ACT IN TRUMP’S SECOND TERM The Trump administration will also provide $6 million to support Palau’s struggling civil service pension plan system and $2 million for new law enforcement initiatives, according to Whipps’ office. Palau, a former filming location for the long-running reality TV series “Survivor,” has long been a recipient of U.S. support and relies heavily on foreign aid, according to the New York Post. CROCKETT ACCUSES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OF DISHONESTY OVER BORDER ENCOUNTER NUMBERS Under a deal brokered during the Biden administration, Washington committed $889 million in aid over 20 years, according to the State Department. As the Trump administration ramps up mass deportations, many countries have agreed to take illegal immigrants, including Uganda, Rwanda, Eswatini, South Sudan, Costa Rica, Panama and El Salvador. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

Misspelled learning center, no children inside: Emmer presses Walz over Minnesota daycare tied to $4M

Misspelled learning center, no children inside: Emmer presses Walz over Minnesota daycare tied to M

The third-ranking leader in the House of Representatives, who also happens to hail from Minnesota, demanded answers from Gov. Tim Walz after a YouTuber tried to confront employees of an alleged daycare center that had misspelled signage and no signs of activity outside but reportedly received $4 million in state funds. 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. Responding to the video, Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who represents Twin Cities suburbs and St. Cloud, lashed out at the governor. “4 million dollars of hard-earned tax dollars going to an education center that can’t even spell learning correctly. Care to explain this one, Tim Walz?” he wrote on X. HHS PROBES MINNESOTA’S USE OF BILLIONS IN FEDERAL SOCIAL SERVICE FUNDS AMID FRAUD CONCERNS: REPORT The Quality Learning Center also recently made news for collecting 95 violations from the state human services agency between 2019 and 2023, according to St. Paul’s ABC affiliate. Such violations range from failure to keep hazardous items away from kids to the daycare not having any records for more than a dozen listed children, according to the outlet. Documentation reviewed by Fox News Digital showed the site’s current license does not expire until the end of 2026. MINNESOTA SENATE CANDIDATE WEARS HIJAB IN VISIT TO SOMALI MARKET AS FRAUD SCANDAL UNFOLDS This week, YouTuber Nick Shirley and another man approached a building labeled the Quality Learing Center (sic) on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, with Shirley noting that “Learning” was spelled incorrectly on the daycare’s sign outside. Almost immediately, a woman appears and repeatedly yells — ostensibly to anyone inside the building — “Don’t open up. It’s ICE.” Shirley asked the woman whether she thought he or the other man were immigration agents and identified himself as an online commentator. COMER WARNS ‘WALLS ARE CAVING IN’ ON TIM WALZ AS MINNESOTA FRAUD PROBE WIDENS The man held up a paper that appeared to show $1.9 million had been disbursed to the center in fiscal year 2025, adding that the total disbursement to the center that he had recorded was $4 million. “Go away. You’re not welcome here. Shame on you,” the woman told Shirley. It remained unclear whether the woman had any association with the center. “Are you in favor of $1.9 million going illegally/fraudulently to this business that [is called] ‘Quality Learning Center’ but can’t spell ‘learning’ right on the door?” MAGNITUDE ‘CANNOT BE OVERSTATED’: FEDS SAY MINNESOTA FRAUD MAY BE MORE THAN $9B A document on the Minnesota Department of Human Services website showed the center is supposed to account for 99 children, a figure also mentioned in the video by Shirley. “There’s no one here,” he said. “This is a prime example of the billions of dollars in fraud happening right now in Minnesota. This is one of the hundreds of ‘daycares’ receiving millions of dollars from the government. This daycare (that can’t even spell learning right) received $1,900,000 in tax-exempt funding from CCAP in 2025. This is just one of the thousands of fraudulent businesses operating in Minnesota.” MINNESOTA MAYORS SAY CONSTITUENTS ‘SCARED’ AS FRAUD CRISIS LEAVES QUESTIONS UNANSWERED X commentator Greg Price shared the video, writing that if people try to “knock on the doors of Somali-owned daycares that have received millions of tax dollars from the Minnesota government, liberal white women will accuse you of being ICE.” U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson has said that when investigations of the overall CCAP and Minnesota state programs are complete, the fraud could exceed $1 billion. The Treasury Department is also investigating, with Secretary Scott Bessent remaining vocal in public statements on the matter. The most notable recipient was a supposed child nutrition effort called Feeding Our Future, while other recipients of CCAP (Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program) funding have drawn scrutiny in recent days. Fox News Digital reached out to the number listed for the daycare in state government documents, but an automated message said the call could not be completed as dialed. Fox News Digital reached out for comment from Walz and the top prosecutor in Minnesota, Attorney General Keith Ellison. Fox News Digital also reached out to U.S. DHS for any comment on critics of the Minnesota investigation appearing to attribute ICE employment as a proxy to people they believe could cause undue trouble in public.

Trump suggests he’ll call final shots on peace deal ahead of Zelenskyy meeting: ‘We’ll see what he’s got’

Trump suggests he’ll call final shots on peace deal ahead of Zelenskyy meeting: ‘We’ll see what he’s got’

President Donald Trump said he will call the final shots on a peace deal to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy preparing to unveil a new peace plan when the two meet Sunday.  “He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump told Politico Friday. “So we’ll see what he’s got.” Zelenskyy told reporters Friday he will meet with Trump Sunday in Florida and will share a 20-point peace proposal for the president to review.  Additionally, Zelenskyy said the meeting will likely focus on security guarantees for Ukraine, adding it was unclear if “territorial issues will be discussed.” MOMENTUM BUILDS IN UKRAINE PEACE PUSH, BUT EXPERTS FEAR PUTIN WON’T BUDGE  “The 20-point plan that we worked on is 90% ready. Our task (is) to make sure that everything is 100% ready. It is not easy, and no one says that it will be 100% right away, but nevertheless we must bring the desired result closer with each such meeting, each such conversation,” Zelenskyy told reporters Friday. The White House did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital to confirm the meeting.  Trump voiced optimism about the meeting with Zelenskyy and future conversations with Putin.  “I think it’s going to go good with him. I think it’s going to go good with [Vladimir] Putin,” Trump told Politico. Trump also said that he expects to speak with Putin “soon.” US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH ‘LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE’ BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA Trump said in November he would not meet with Zelenskyy again — or Putin — unless a deal to end the war was in its final stages.  Zelenskyy has indicated progress is being made and touted that he had a “a very good conversation” with Jared Kushner and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff Thursday. Specifically, Zelenskyy said, talks focused on ending the war and efforts to ensure lasting peace in the region. Trump has met with Zelenskyy multiple times since taking office in January, including in February when Zelenskyy sparred openly with Trump and Vance in the Oval Office over engaging in diplomacy with Russia to end the conflict. Additionally, Trump met with Putin in Alaska in August.  Fox News’ Rachel Wolf contributed to this report. 

Kash Patel announces permanent closure of J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building for Reagan building move

Kash Patel announces permanent closure of J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building for Reagan building move

FBI Director Kash Patel announced Friday that the bureau has finalized plans to permanently close the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building, ending years of debate over the agency’s deteriorating headquarters. The FBI has scrapped a nearly $5 billion proposal to construct a new building that would not have opened until 2035. Instead, the bureau will relocate most headquarters staff to the existing Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., Patel said. “After more than 20 years of failed attempts, we finalized a plan to permanently close the FBI’s Hoover headquarters and move the workforce into a safe, modern facility,” Patel posted to X. “Working directly with President Trump and Congress, we accomplished what no one else could.” KASH PATEL TO SHUT DOWN FBI HOOVER BUILDING, MOVE HQ ACROSS DC TO RONALD REAGAN BUILDING Patel said the move will save billions of dollars and noted that key safety and infrastructure upgrades are already underway at the Reagan building. Once renovations are complete, the majority of FBI headquarters employees will move into the building, according to Patel. “Once complete, most of the HQ FBI workforce will move in, and the rest are continuing in our ongoing push to put more manpower in the field, where they will remain,” Patel said. “This decision puts resources where they belong: defending the homeland, crushing violent crime, and protecting national security. It delivers better tools for today’s FBI workforce at a fraction of the cost.” CHINESE RESEARCHER ON US VISA CHARGED WITH SMUGGLING E. COLI INTO THE COUNTRY, FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL SAYS Earlier this year, Fox News Digital exclusively obtained a memo Patel sent to the FBI, notifying employees of the relocation, and stressing that it is the “most cost-effective way” to serve the American people. Patel, in May, first hinted that the bureau would be reallocating its workforce around the country, and would move agents out of the Hoover building, which opened in 1975. PATEL BLASTS BIDEN’S ‘EMBLEMATIC FAILURE’ AFTER AFGHAN NATIONAL CHARGED IN GUARD SHOOTING The FBI and the General Services Administration (GSA) had been looking at options for a new FBI headquarters for more than a decade, including locations near D.C. in Maryland and Virginia. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

Interior Department plans AI Theodore Roosevelt exhibit for America250

Interior Department plans AI Theodore Roosevelt exhibit for America250

EXCLUSIVE: President Theodore Roosevelt is known for revolutionizing how America manages and explores. Now, revolutionary artificial intelligence technology will allow Americans to engage with the legendary president one century after he left office, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox News Digital. While Roosevelt was famously brought to life on the big screen by the late Robin Williams in “Night At The Museum,” Burgum said the Interior Department envisioned a slightly different iteration of bringing the president back to life. Roosevelt will be rendered in a groundbreaking AI exhibit in the form of a human-avatar that will respond intelligently to visitor’s questions at his namesake national park, Theodore Roosevelt National Park on the North Dakota-Montana line. 4 US HOTSPOTS JUST MADE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S TOP DESTINATIONS LIST The exhibit will have its grand opening during the America250 celebration, Burgum told Fox News Digital. The new site is “one of the biggest things” that the Interior Department is planning for the new year, the former North Dakota governor said. “That will occur over our Fourth of July weekend,” he said.  The exhibit will be housed at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. Burgum noted that Roosevelt authored more books than any other president, and offered more spoken-word than any other president except President Donald Trump. TOP TRUMP DEPARTMENT ROLLS OUT CHRISTMAS TREE SAVINGS PLAN: ‘MAKING THIS SEASON BRIGHTER’ Roosevelt came to the “Dakota Territory” in 1883 to hunt bison, and today the lands within his namesake part don’t look much different than they did then. Besides miles of breathtaking landscape, the park explores Roosevelt’s ranch life, conflicts with and cultures of local Native American tribes, and the cattle-ranch boom of the 1880s. Many of the animal trophies netted by Roosevelt later ended up festooned in the Old Ebbitt Grill, a famous Washington, D.C., saloon near the White House. TRUMP ADDS HIS BIRTHDAY AS FREE NATIONAL PARK DAY WHILE AXING MLK DAY AND JUNETEENTH “[If] you come to the library, you’re going to have a chance to visit directly with Theodore Roosevelt,” Burgum said. While Roosevelt’s maxim was to “speak softly and carry a big stick” — suggesting actions are more important than words — the landmark library will enthrall the public with his own vernacular, Burgum said. “Ask him a question, he’ll answer in his own words. So it’s going to be a fun experience. Kids are going to be dragging their parents to this museum.” “And if you love the outdoors, which Theodore Roosevelt did, the library looks into Theodore Roosevelt National Park,” Burgum said, adding that the national park is the only one named for a person instead of a place — like “Hawai’i Volcanoes,” “Yosemite” or “Gettysburg.” While Shenandoah National Park is synonymous with its coterminous roadway — Skyline Drive — and Harpers Ferry National Park is home to its own Amtrak station, Roosevelt’s park will also feature another working mode of transportation. “There’ll be a hitching post in front of this library,” Burgum quipped, as horseback was the mode of choice during that 1858-born president’s time.