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Year: 2025

South Korea reaches deal with US to release workers detained after immigration raid

South Korea reaches deal with US to release workers detained after immigration raid

The South Korean government has reached a deal with the U.S. to secure the release of hundreds of migrant workers detained at a Hyundai automobile factory in Georgia. Homeland Security Investigations said 475 people who were in the country illegally, primarily from South Korea, were arrested as part of the operation at the under-construction battery plant. Hyundai owns the plant, but claimed none of the workers were directly employed by the company. President Lee Jae Myung’s office says the country will send a charter plane to bring the workers back to South Korea in the coming days. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement last week to express “concern and regret” over the raid. LOUISIANA RACETRACK ICE RAID NETS MORE THAN 80 ILLEGAL MIGRANTS DURING WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT OPERATION HSI Georgia chief Steven Schrank said some of the detained workers had illegally crossed the U.S. border, while others had entered the country legally but had expired visas or had entered on a visa waiver that prohibited them from working. HSI said some of the workers arrested were employed by subcontractors on the construction site, which has since been paused. Fox News Digital reported that ICE and other law enforcement agencies were part of the operation. 16 IN CUSTODY AFTER IMMIGRATION RAID AT LA HOME DEPOT, DHS SAYS “As of today, it is our understanding that none of those detained is directly employed by Hyundai Motor Company,” Hyundai told Fox News Digital in a statement. “We prioritize the safety and well-being of everyone working at the site and comply with all laws and regulations wherever we operate.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Workplace raids have become an increasingly common operation for immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration. Last month, federal authorities butted heads with some Democratic officials in California at a cannabis farm, which resulted in the discovery of children working at the plant. Fox News’ Cameron Arcand and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Trump nominees pile up as GOP weighs rule shift once floated by Democrats

Trump nominees pile up as GOP weighs rule shift once floated by Democrats

Senate Republicans are getting closer to changing the upper chamber’s rules to allow for a slew of President Donald Trump’s lower-level nominees to be confirmed, and they’re closing in on a revived proposal from Democrats to do it. The hope among Republicans is that using a tool that Senate Democrats once considered would allow them to avoid turning to the “nuclear option,” meaning a rule change with a simple majority vote. “The Democrats should support it, because it was their original proposal that we’re continuing on,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told Fox News Digital. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if they won’t. This historic obstruction by the Democrats is all playing to their far-left liberal base, who hate President Trump.” REPUBLICAN DOCTORS CLASH WITH RFK JR OVER VACCINES IN TENSE SENATE SHOWDOWN Republicans met throughout the week behind closed doors to discuss their options and have begun to coalesce around a proposal that would allow them to take one vote to confirm a group of nominees, also known as “en bloc,” for sub-Cabinet level positions. So far, the only nominee to make it through the Senate with ease was Secretary of State Marco Rubio in January. Since then, various positions throughout the bureaucracy have stacked up and have not received a voice vote or gone through unanimous consent — two commonly-used fast-track procedures for lower-level positions in the administration. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that before Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., was in charge of the Democrats, “this was always done in a way where, if you had some of the lower-level nominees in the administration, those were all voted en bloc, they were packaged, they were grouped, they were stacked.” “This is the first president in history who, at this point in his presidency, hasn’t had at least one nominee clear by unanimous consent or voice vote,” he said. “It is unprecedented what they’re doing. It’s got to be stopped.” TOP SENATE REPUBLICAN READY TO GO NUCLEAR, ‘ROLL OVER’ DEMOCRATS WITH RULE CHANGE TO CONFIRM TRUMP NOMINEES And the number of nominees on the Senate’s calendar continues to grow, reaching 149 picks awaiting confirmation this week. The goal would be to make that rule change before lawmakers leave town for a week starting Sept. 22. The idea comes from legislation proposed in 2023 by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Angus King, I-Maine, and former Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md. Republicans are eyeing their own spin on it, such as possibly not limiting the number of en bloc nominees in a group or excluding judicial nominees. Republicans would prefer to avoid going nuclear — the last time the nuclear option was used was in 2019, when then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., lowered debate time on nominees to two hours — but they are willing to do so, given that Democrats haven’t budged on their blockade. They may only be making a public display of resistance, however. “Democrats privately support what Republicans are talking about,” a senior GOP aide familiar with negotiations told Fox News Digital. “They’re just too afraid to admit it.” Sen. James Lankford, who worked with Thune and Barrasso over the recess to build a consensus on a rule change proposal, told Fox News Digital that his Democratic colleagues acknowledged that they’ve “created a precedent that is not sustainable.” TRUMP THREATENS LAWSUIT OVER ‘BLUE SLIPS’ AS TOP GOP SENATOR BUCKS DEMAND TO BEND SENATE RULES FOR NOMINEES “But then they’ll say, ‘but my progressive base is screaming at me to fight however I want to. I know I’m damaging the Senate, but I got to show that I’m fighting,’” the Oklahoma Republican said. “We feel stuck, I mean, literally,” Lankford continued. “Some of my colleagues have said, ‘We’re not the ones going nuclear. They’re the ones that are going nuclear.’” Klobuchar told Fox News Digital that she appreciated the prior work she’s done with Lankford on “ways to make the Senate better” but wasn’t ready to get behind the GOP’s version of her legislation. “When I proposed that, it was meant to pass as legislation, which means you would have needed bipartisan votes, and the reason that’s not happening right now is because the president keeps flaunting the law,” she said. Not every Senate Democrat is on board with the wholesale blockade, however. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., told Fox News Digital that lawmakers should all behave in a way in which administrations, either Republican or Democratic, get “those basic kinds of considerations” for nominees. “That’s not the resistance,” he said. “I just think that’s kind of unhelpful to just move forward. I mean, you can oppose people like the big ones, whether it’s [Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F.] Kennedy or others.” Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back. 

Supporters hail Trump’s Pentagon rebrand as ‘honest,’ critics call it reckless

Supporters hail Trump’s Pentagon rebrand as ‘honest,’ critics call it reckless

As U.S. forces carry out strikes abroad and policymakers prepare to release a new national defense strategy, the Trump administration has chosen to revive a name not heard in Washington since 1947: the Department of War.  Friday’s executive order has opened a debate over whether words shape policy, or whether the symbolism matters less than the capabilities behind them. Supporters argue the shift restores honesty to the Pentagon’s identity, acknowledging that America’s armed forces have long been engaged in conflicts that stretch beyond “defense.” Critics counter that the change risks glorifying war, unsettling allies and giving adversaries new propaganda lines at a sensitive moment in global security. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who proudly assumed the new title, described the move as a cultural reset. “Words matter. Titles matter, cultures matter,” Hegseth told Fox News Digital. “George Washington founded the War Department.” HEGSETH VOWS TO REBUILD MILITARY DETERRENCE SO ENEMIES ‘DON’T WANT TO F— WITH US’ Jennifer Kavanaugh, a senior fellow at Defense Priorities, said recent strikes have emboldened Trump to lean more heavily on military power. She pointed to U.S. attacks on Iranian targets earlier this summer and, more recently, a strike on a Venezuelan drug-smuggling boat, which she said the administration clearly views as both policy successes and strong political points.  “These two strikes, as well as other small things, are maybe pushing Trump to be more aggressive than he was on the campaign trail, or even than he planned to be coming in,” Kavanaugh said. Others were more skeptical of the name’s practical impact. Frank Rose, a former Defense Department and Nuclear Security Administration official, said the change does little to address real challenges. “I have no problem with the [new] name,” he said. “The real question is this: Will this name change allow us to get capability faster to the warfighter and stay ahead of Russia and China? I’m skeptical. Names don’t deter. Capabilities deter.” Some observers worry the debate over symbolism is overshadowing substantive developments. “This story is overshadowing more important news,” said John Byrnes, strategic director for Concerned Veterans for America. “The overdue National Defense Strategy seems about to be published, and sources are reporting that it outlines a pivot toward focusing more resources on defense here in North America.” The Pentagon’s strategy document, released once per administration, is expected soon. A recent report in Politico suggested it will center on homeland defense and the Western Hemisphere, underscoring a shift in priorities as the U.S. faces threats closer to home. The executive order allows the Pentagon to continue using “Department of Defense” as a secondary name, a concession that may ease the daunting task of changing countless seals, emblems and bureaucratic references. TRUMP TO RENAME PENTAGON, RESTORING HISTORIC ‘DEPARTMENT OF WAR’ IN LATEST MILITARY MOVE For most of the nation’s history, the U.S. military was overseen by the Department of War. Created in 1789 as one of the first executive departments, it managed the Army, fortifications and the nation’s defenses. The Navy, established separately in 1798, was not folded into the War Department. By the mid-20th century, policymakers were rethinking the military’s role. The devastation of World War II and the onset of the Cold War spurred the 1947 National Security Act, which merged the War and Navy Departments into the National Military Establishment.  In 1949, that structure was renamed the Department of Defense. The new title was meant to signal a mission of deterrence and stability rather than aggressive war-making, aligning with America’s Cold War role as a global protector. For more than 75 years, the Department of Defense has symbolized that mission. Restoring the “War” name represents a striking departure from that framework. Modern governments have largely abandoned the blunt language of “war” in naming their defense bureaucracies. The United Kingdom once had separate War and Air ministries, which were merged after World War II into today’s Ministry of Defence. In Germany, pre-1945 governments relied on a War Ministry, but postwar leaders created a Federal Ministry of Defense to emphasize collective security within NATO. Russia maintains a Ministry of Defense, headquartered in Moscow, even as it wages wars abroad.  The trend reflects a 20th-century shift toward language that frames militaries as protectors rather than aggressors. America’s decision to move in the opposite direction stands out globally. Kavanaugh noted that the rhetorical turn may resonate differently with U.S. audiences. For some, she said, it will emphasize the military’s lethality — a theme Trump and Hegseth have repeatedly embraced.  For others, it will serve as a reminder that the United States spends far more time intervening abroad than defending its own borders.  “Department of War is sort of a much more accurate description of what the military does,” she said. “The homeland itself is actually very secure: we have oceans on two sides, weak neighbors to the north and south… so I do think it calls attention to what is the fundamental role of the military here, which is fighting wars abroad, which hasn’t always advanced U.S. interests.” It remains unclear whether Trump can make the change permanent without congressional approval. His order directs Hegseth to propose both legislative and executive measures to enshrine the name. Democrats have already voiced opposition. “Totally something my 8-year-old would come up with,” Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., wrote on X. “Americans want to prevent wars, not tout them.” “Only someone who avoided the draft would want to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War,” added Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.

Democrats slam Trump for ‘war’ threats targeting US cities: ‘Not your war zone’

Democrats slam Trump for ‘war’ threats targeting US cities: ‘Not your war zone’

Democrats are criticizing President Donald Trump for a social media post that appeared to threaten Chicago with deportations and the U.S. military. Trump posted on Truth Social an AI image of himself styled as Robert Duvall’s character in “Apocalypse Now,” a Vietnam War epic about a decorated U.S. officer who has gone rogue deep in the Cambodian jungle. The words “Chipocalypse Now” were also seen on the image. “‘I love the smell of deportations in the morning…’” Trump wrote in the post on Saturday morning, a play on a famous quote from the 1979 film. “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR,” he added, referring to his recent executive order renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War. TRUMP ROILS CHICAGO DEMOCRATS WITH APOCALYPSE NOW MEME HINTING AT NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT Several Democrats blasted the president for his threats of “war” against U.S. cities, which comes as the federal government is potentially considering deploying the National Guard to Chicago to deal with crime – a move Illinois leaders have repeatedly criticized. California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded to the post by saying Trump was “using our troops like political pawns.” “The President of the United States is deploying the military onto US streets and using our troops like political pawns,” Newsom wrote on X. “DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BECOME NUMB TO THIS.” Newsom butted heads with Trump over the summer after National Guard troops and Marines were deployed to Los Angeles to respond to anti-ICE demonstrations and support federal immigration enforcement. CHICAGO MAYOR CALLS TRUMP’S FEDERALIZATION THREATS ‘BENEATH THE HONOR OF OUR NATION,’ PROTESTS PLANNED Both Illinois senators pushed back on the president’s “disgusting” post suggesting he would wage war on the Windy City. “No Donald, Chicago is not your war zone,” Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth wrote on X. Duckworth is also a combat veteran and retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. CHICAGO RESIDENT GOES AFTER CITY’S ‘PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC GANG’ FOR REFUSING TRUMP’S FEDERAL HELP ON CRIME Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin wrote on X that Trump should be focused on his “weak jobs reports,” “record measles cases,” “tariffs hurting American farmers and businesses” and “hidden Epstein files,” instead of “asking ChatGPT to make him memes and threatening to turn our brave armed forces against American cities.” “This tweet this morning was disgusting to suggest that the troops are coming into Chicago or that the Department of War is going to be engaged is an embarrassment,” Durban said during remarks before a parade in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, according to FOX 32 Chicago. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have been feuding with Trump in recent weeks over the potential deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago. “The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city,” Pritzker wrote on X on Saturday. “This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.” Johnson has previously cited data showing that violent crime in Chicago has declined in the last year, including homicides and robberies dipping by more than 30%, and shootings dropping by nearly 40%. “The President’s threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution,” Johnson wrote on Saturday. “We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump.”