Tamil Nadu draft SIR electoral roll 2025 out: Here’s how to check if your name is on voter list
The ECI has given a monthlong window for voters to verify their details and submit claims or objections before the final list is published. The ECI says the exercise is aimed at improving the accuracy of voter lists by identifying deceased voters, duplicate entries, and those whose have relocated.
Gujarat First Draft SIR: Number of voters drops by nearly 74 lakh to…; check details here
The draft electoral rolls were published in Ahmedabad by the Election Commission on Friday.
With ACA subsidies set to expire, Texas Republicans in Congress remain hazy about path forward
Texas’ entire House GOP delegation voted this week for a health care package that lets the tax credits lapse. They will be forced to vote on a three-year extension of the subsidies in January.
Texas lawmakers from both parties oppose Trump’s order targeting state AI laws
Texas’ new law regulating AI is set to take effect Jan. 1, two months after Trump’s executive order threatening to cut off some federal money if states pass “onerous” AI laws.
Ilhan Omar defends MEALS Act despite ties to massive Minnesota fraud scheme
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said she has no regrets about supporting the MEALS Act during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the program becoming linked to Minnesota’s alleged $250 million “Feeding Our Future” fraud scheme. “Do you regret pushing for that bill, the MEALS Act? Do you think it led to the fraud?” Nicholas Ballasy for Fox News Digital asked Omar on Capitol Hill. “Absolutely not, it did help feed kids,” Omar said. Omar introduced the MEALS Act on March 11, 2020, to modify the Department of Agriculture’s food and nutrition programs to allow certain waivers on requirements for school meal programs, including those that raised federal costs during school closures related to the pandemic. WALZ URGES NOEM TO ‘REASSESS’ IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY IN MINNESOTA AFTER ALLEGED CITIZEN ARRESTS Minnesota has faced scrutiny for alleged mismanagement of federal funds accessed through these waivers, including in distributing money for the “Feeding Our Future” program, which authorities believe to be the largest fraud scheme in the history of the pandemic. INSIDE MINNESOTA’S $1B FRAUD: FAKE OFFICES, PHONY FIRMS AND A SCANDAL HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT The scheme allegedly exploited the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to waive many of its standard requirements for the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the pandemic, including relaxing its requirement for non-school-based distributors to participate in the program. Fox News Digital first reported on the status of the fraud in July. FBI Director Kash Patel described it at the time as “one of the worst” in Minnesota history — and as of November 2025, more than 75 individuals have been charged in connection with the scheme, according to federal prosecutors. President Donald Trump has recently announced a flurry of new actions to crack down and investigate fraud schemes in Minnesota, which he has assailed as a “hub of money laundering activity,” and cited as the basis of his decision to terminate deportation protections for hundreds of Somali migrants. Senior Trump administration officials announced fresh investigations this month, including a new Treasury Department probe into how taxpayer dollars were allegedly diverted to the terrorist organization al-Shabaab, according to Secretary Scott Bessent. Trump and other officials have zeroed in on these alleged fraud schemes, arguing that the criminal activity is a result of mismanagement and “incompetence” from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat and former vice presidential candidate. ‘INCOMPETENCE OR DERELICTION’: MINNESOTA LAWMAKER RIPS TIM WALZ AS STATE FRAUD LOSSES MOUNT “It’s not surprising that the president has chosen to broadly target an entire community,” Walz said of Trump’s efforts, adding, “This is what he does to change the subject.” Conspirators falsely claimed to have served millions of meals during the pandemic, but instead used the money for personal gain. They also are accused of fabricating invoices, submitting fake attendance records and falsely distributing thousands of meals from hundreds of so-called food distribution “sites” across the state. Some of the individuals are part of Minnesota’s Somali diaspora, which is the largest in the U.S., though the ringleader of the scheme is not. “Stealing from the federal government equates to stealing from the American people — there is no simpler truth,” FBI’s special agent in charge, Alvin Winston, told Fox News Digital in a statement. Charging documents show that roughly 300 “food sites” in the state served little or no food, with the so-called “food vendors” and organizations fabricated to launder money intended to reimburse the cost of feeding children. FBI officials told Fox News that the investigation and resulting trials and indictments continue to impact the state, and have already touched off legislative reform in Minnesota. They added that the investigation into the fraud remains ongoing, and that additional charges are expected, though they did not immediately share more details. “The egregious fraud unveiled in the Feeding our Future case epitomizes a profound betrayal of public trust,” Patel told Fox News Digital earlier this year. “These individuals misappropriated hundreds of millions in federal funds intended to nourish vulnerable children during a time of crisis, redirecting those resources into luxury homes, high-end vehicles and extravagant lifestyles while families faced hardship,” he added. Trump suggested earlier this month that Omar, who fled Somalia as a child, “shouldn’t be allowed to be a congresswoman,” prompting fierce backlash from some Democrats and from Minnesota’s congressional delegation. Omar, for her part, said Trump’s remarks were “vile.” “His obsession with me is creepy,” she said on social media. “I hope he gets the help he desperately needs.” ICE REJECTS OMAR CLAIM SON WAS PULLED OVER BY FEDS, PRESSED FOR CITIZENSHIP PROOF: ‘ABSOLUTELY ZERO RECORD’ Ballasy later pressed Omar about another incident dominating headlines. “Congresswoman, the ICE director is saying now that your son was not pulled over by ICE. He’s saying there’s no evidence,” Ballasy said to Omar on Capitol Hill. The head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rejected a viral claim from Omar that her son was pressed for proof of U.S. citizenship by agency personnel after stopping at a Minnesota Target over the weekend. Omar had told CBS’ Twin Cities affiliate that her son was subjected to a traffic stop-type encounter by ICE agents but was ultimately let go without further issue after he was able to produce a U.S. passport or passport card. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons pushed back on the assertion on Tuesday, telling Fox News Digital the incident never happened. “How do they know that?” Omar countered. “How do they know that? Is he saying he has documentations of all the people they pulled over? Because we’ve been asking for that information. We haven’t gotten it from them, so if ICE is confirming now that they collect data and refusing to provide it to members of Congress, then that’s an interesting admission.” “ICE has absolutely zero record of its officers or agents pulling over Congresswoman Omar’s son,” Lyons said. “It speaks volumes that Congresswoman Omar is leveling this accusation with absolutely zero proof.” Lyons called Omar’s comments to the local outlet a “ridiculous effort” to demonize federal law enforcement.
2028 power move: Turning Point’s Erika Kirk throws support behind JD Vance as MAGA ‘heir apparent’
Vice President JD Vance speaks Sunday at Turning Point USA’s America Fest conference. But the vice president landed a major endorsement when the annual conference, held by the increasingly influential conservative group, kicked off on Thursday. Ericka Kirk, widow of the assassinated Turning Point co-founder Charlie Kirk, endorsed Vance in the 2028 presidential election during her speech in front of thousands of activists gathered in Phoenix, Arizona. “We are going to get my husband’s friend JD Vance elected for 48 in the most resounding way possible,” in 2028, she said. “Forty-eight” refers to the number of the next president. ERIKA KIRK OPENS FIRST TURNING POINT ANNUAL SUMMIT SINCE HUSBAND’S ASSASSINATION Kirk, who took over the reins of Turning Point after her husband’s murder, also emphasized, “We are building the red wall.” “We’re going to make sure that President Trump has Congress for all four years,” she added, as she pointed to next year’s midterm elections, when Republicans will defend their majorities in the House and Senate. SUCCEEDING TRUMP IN 2028: SIX REPUBLICANS TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON The backing of the vice president by Turning Point, which is particularly influential among younger conservatives and whose political arm has built up a powerful grassroots outreach operation, could give Vance a major boost should he decide to run for president in the 2028 election. A longtime adviser to President Donald Trump told Fox News Digital that “it wasn’t a surprise to see her endorse, given that while he was still alive, Charlie couldn’t have been more explicit about supporting Vance in 2028.” POTENTIAL 2028 DEMOCRATS SPARK SPECULATION AT MAJOR PARTY GATHERING “Last night simply reaffirmed that Turning Point’s entire political machinery will be behind him if he decides to run. It’s another big get for the vice president and a warning shot to other potential candidates,” added the adviser, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely. Vance and Charlie Kirk were close friends, and the vice president credits Kirk with his political rise. Vance honored his late friend by flying with Kirk’s casket back to Arizona from Utah, where he was assassinated in September, aboard Air Force Two. And Vance hosted Kirk’s popular podcast as it returned following Kirk’s death. While Vance has yet to say anything publicly on whether he’ll launch a 2028 campaign to succeed the term-limited Trump, he is considered by many on the right to be the president’s heir apparent to eventually take over the MAGA mantle.
Democrats’ last-minute move to block GOP funding plan sends lawmakers home early
Senate Republicans tried to advance a funding package as their last act of the year, but a last-minute block by Senate Democrats sent lawmakers home frustrated as the deadline to fund the government creeps closer. Lawmakers have spent the last month since the government shutdown building consensus on a five-bill spending package that would go a long way toward preventing another one come Jan. 30. The package would have funded the departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Commerce, Justice, Interior, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, which represent a massive chunk of Congress’ overall funding responsibilities. TRUMP GETS 417 NOMINEES CONFIRMED BY SENATE IN 2025, SURPASSES BIDEN’S FIRST-YEAR TOTAL IN RECORD PACE But a deal never materialized, and the lights of the Senate chamber went out for the last time of the year as lawmakers beelined from Washington, D.C., back to their home districts. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., remained hopeful that when the Senate returned, Democrats would cross the aisle to finish the job. “The Democrats are indicating that they want to do them, they just didn’t want to do them today,” Thune said. “So hopefully, when we get back, we’ll test that proposition, and hope that we’ll take them to face value, and hopefully we’ll get moving, and get moving quickly, because we’ve got a lot to do.” Before the last gavel rang through the chamber, however, there was still hope that a deal could be reached. As the clock ticked deeper into the night and the smell of jet fumes grew stronger in the Senate, top Republicans kept working the phones and trying to negotiate a path forward on the package. SENATE SENDS $901B DEFENSE BILL TO TRUMP AFTER CLASHES OVER BOAT STRIKE, DC AIRSPACE Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, told Fox News Digital that Republicans had cleared the decks on their end after several weeks of holds on the package from fiscal hawks demanding amendment votes on earmarks, among other thorny issues. When asked if Senate Democrats would play ball, she said, “I don’t know.” “I’m about to call one of the people,” Collins said before ducking into her office. When she emerged, Collins said that there was only one hold left. And that last remaining blockage appeared to be from Sens. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., who were incensed by the Trump administration’s plan to break up the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colo. Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought called the facility in a post on X “one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country,” and vowed a comprehensive review was underway and that any “vital activities such as weather research will be moved to another entity or location.” Hickenlooper suggested that he and Bennet would lift their hold only if they received a guaranteed outcome on an amendment vote — a proposition Republicans have time and again this year for several other Democratic issues that they said they couldn’t do. “We need to find some Republican supporters. All we’re trying to do is just protect the budget that was already there,” Hickenlooper said. “So, whatever disagreement there is between the state, the governor of Colorado, and the President of the United States, that shouldn’t affect a scientific institution. Science should be free of that kind of politics.” DOJ FACES FRIDAY DEADLINE TO RELEASE EPSTEIN FILES AS LAWMAKERS PUSH FOR TRANSPARENCY Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., was more blunt. “What the president did to Colorado is disgusting, and Republicans ought to get him to change,” Schumer said. Republicans opted to open the floor late following a signing ceremony at the White House for the annual, colossal defense package in order to finish the confirmation process for a tranche of President Donald Trump’s nominees. It was a bid to buy time to keep negotiations alive in the hopes of a breakthrough. They even tacked on a handful of extra votes to keep the machine whirring, but in the end, Senate Democrats wouldn’t budge. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations subcommittee, remained hopeful ahead of the vote and said the goal was “to stay until we get it finished.” “If we want the Senate to matter, we should figure it out,” Britt said. Failure to advance the package on Thursday does not guarantee another government shutdown next month, but it does tee up what will likely be a brutal January in the upper chamber. Lawmakers are still scrambling to find a deal on expiring Obamacare subsidies, which are set to expire on Dec. 31, and they will have to contend with the funding deadline at the end of the month. And anything that can pass in the Senate has to make its way through the House and ultimately be approved by Trump. Despite the inability to move forward with the funding package, for now, it appears that neither side wants to thrust the federal government into another shutdown. “I don’t think either side wants to see that happen,” Thune said. “I think that’s toxic for both parties. So I’m hoping that there will be goodwill, and we’ll figure out how to fund the government.”
Judge tosses Trump-linked lawsuit targeting Chief Justice Roberts, dealing setback to Trump allies
A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by a pro-Trump legal group seeking access to a trove of federal judiciary documents, including from a body overseen by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts – putting an end to a protracted legal fight brought by Trump allies seeking to access key judicial documents. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee assigned to the case earlier this year, dismissed the long-shot lawsuit brought by the America First Legal Foundation, the pro-Trump group founded by White House policy adviser Stephen Miller after Trump’s first term; Miller, now back in the White House, is no longer affiliated with AFL. McFadden ultimately dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction, saying Thursday that two groups responsible for certain regulatory and administrative functions for the federal judiciary are an extension of the judicial branch, and therefore protected by the same exemptions to federal laws granted to the judiciary. “Nothing about either entity’s structure suggests the president must supervise their employees or otherwise keep them ‘accountable,’ as is the case for executive officers,” McFadden said. TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON VOTING BLOCKED BY FEDERAL JUDGES AMID FLURRY OF LEGAL SETBACKS The lawsuit by AFL was first reported by Fox News Digital earlier this year. It named both Chief Justice Roberts in his capacity as the official head of the U.S. Judicial Conference, and Robert J. Conrad, the director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and sought access to a trove of judicial documents from both bodies under the Freedom of Information Act. AFL accused both groups of performing regulatory actions that the lawsuit argued exceeded the scope of the “core functions” of the judiciary, and which it argued should subject the groups to the FOIA requests as a result. AFL cited recent actions the Judicial Conference and Administrative Office had taken in 2023 to “accommodate” requests from Congress to investigate allegations of ethical improprieties by Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, and subsequently to create or adopt an “ethics code” for justices on the high court. “Under our constitutional tradition, accommodations with Congress are the province of the executive branch,” AFL argued. “The Judicial Conference and the Administrative Office are therefore executive agencies,” and must therefore be overseen by the president, not the courts, they said. GORSUCH, ROBERTS SIDE WITH LEFT-LEANING SUPREME COURT JUSTICES IN IMMIGRATION RULING McFadden disagreed, rejecting the group’s argument that “courts” under FOIA refers only to judges. He concluded that both the Judicial Conference and the Administrative Office are components of the judicial branch and therefore exempt from FOIA. “Indeed, if America First were right that only judges and ‘law clerks,’ who ‘directly report to the judge,’ count as part of ‘the courts,’ numerous questions arise, and senseless line drawing ensues,” he said in a memo opinion accompanying his order. “Rather, FOIA’s exclusion reflects that courts include a full range of ‘judicial adjuncts,’ from ‘clerks’ to ‘court reporters,’ who perform ‘tasks that are an integral part of the judicial process.’” Plaintiffs for AFL, led by attorney Will Scolinos, had argued in their lawsuit earlier this year that the Judicial Conference’s duties are “executive functions” and functions they allege must be supervised by executive officers “who are appointed and accountable to other executive officers.” Courts “definitively do not create agencies to exercise functions beyond resolving cases or controversies or administratively supporting those functions,” the group had argued. The U.S. Judicial Conference is the national policymaking body for the courts. Overseen by the chief justice, it issues policy recommendations and reports to Congress as needed. TRUMP IS THREATENING TO ‘FEDERALIZE’ DC WITH NATIONAL GUARD AND MORE. HERE’S HOW THAT COULD PLAY OUT The Administrative Office for the U.S. Courts, meanwhile, operates under the guidance and supervision of the Judicial Conference. Its role is to provide administrative support to the federal courts on certain administrative issues and for day-to-day logistics, including setting budgets and organizing data, among other things. The news comes as President Donald Trump, in his first year back in the White House, has relied heavily on executive orders to advance his agenda — a strategy that has accelerated implementation of campaign promises but also prompted a surge of legal challenges. Trump’s actions sparked hundreds of federal lawsuits this year alone, sending tensions skyrocketing between the executive branch and the courts, including federal judges who have blocked or paused some of Trump’s biggest priorities in his second term.
134 House Republicans demand ‘assurances’ before US eases Syria sanctions
FIRST ON FOX: More than 100 House Republicans are demanding increased oversight of Syria as the U.S. prepares to repeal longstanding sanctions against the country. Reps. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla., and Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., are leading 134 fellow GOP lawmakers in calling for guarantees that the Syrian government will adhere to terms in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that set the stage for repealing those sanctions, while warning the U.S. needs to be prepared to reverse that if Syria falters on its progress. “Many Members of Congress, committed to seeking peace, prosperity, and tolerance for religious minorities in the region, worked with the Trump Administration and House leadership to secure assurances that snapback conditions regarding the repeal of Syrian sanctions would be enforced if Syria does not comply with the terms highlighted in the repeal language,” their joint statement read. WAR SEC. HEGSETH ISSUES STATEMENT AFTER TWO U.S. SOLDIERS KILLED IN SYRIA ARE IDENTIFIED “The mass murder of the Syrian Christians, Druze, Alawites, Kurds, and other religious and ethnic minorities must be a thing of the past.” They said Congress was committed “to keeping a watchful eye on the new al-Sharaa Administration to ensure protections for religious and ethnic minorities in Syria.” It comes after two members of the Iowa National Guard serving in Syria were killed in an ambush by an ISIS gunman. WHY SYRIA PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN TRUMP’S PLANS FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa took power in Syria after the previous government led by Bashar al-Assad was toppled in 2024. The new leader has sought friendlier relations with the West, even visiting the White House in November of this year. The House GOP lawmakers said they “look forward” to being invited to Damascus themselves to see that his administration “has created a safe environment for the religious and ethnic minorities historically persecuted in the region.” “We look forward to confirming that these terms have not been squandered by the Syrian government–whether by their President or by rogue military officials–and seeing for ourselves that the al-Sharaa Administration has created a safe environment for the religious and ethnic minorities historically persecuted in the region,” they said. “As Members of Congress, we understand that the Syrian government’s adherence to the conditions laid out in the NDAA’s sanction repeal language is essential for lasting peace in the Middle East and Syria’s prosperity.” President Donald Trump signed the NDAA into law on Thursday evening.
DHS rips Dem-run county after illegal immigrant, alleged murderer released: ‘Blood on their hands’
The Trump administration says “sanctuary politicians” in Northern Virginia “have blood on their hands” after an illegal immigrant with a lengthy criminal history was released by police and allegedly killed a man in his home a day later. A man was found shot dead in his Northern Virginia home on Wednesday. The suspected shooter, 23-year-old Marvin Morales-Ortez — an illegal immigrant from El Salvador residing in the United States — had been in custody Tuesday on malicious wounding and brandishing a firearm charges, but police released him after the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office dropped the charges. Officers investigated the murder scene Wednesday afternoon and night, according to local media. Following a manhunt, Morales-Ortez was eventually tracked down and arrested. Court records showed Morales-Ortez had been charged with at least seven crimes in Fairfax County at the time of his latest arrest and was a suspected MS-13 member. “The charges were nolle prossed due to insufficient evidence to move forward with the criminal case,” a spokesperson for the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, headed by George Soros-backed Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano, told Fox News Digital. “The victim told police that they had moved out of the country and would not be coming to court to cooperate in proceedings, regardless of timing. Sadly, without the victim’s necessary testimony, we could not move forward.” ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CAUGHT AND RELEASED BY BIDEN ADMINISTRATION NOW CHARGED IN WASHINGTON VEHICULAR HOMICIDE Both Fairfax County Police and Descano’s office said that the decision on whether to follow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers ultimately falls under the purview of the sheriff’s office, led by Stacey Kincaid. Fox News Digital reached out to the sheriff’s office for an explanation about how it handles ICE detainers and whether it cooperates, or not, with federal immigration enforcement. “The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office follows all local, state, and federal laws when determining whether a person is subject to release from the ADC. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is automatically notified any time a person is booked into the ADC. In this instance, ICE was aware of Morales Ortez’s incarceration and elected not to seek a judicial warrant to ensure he remained in custody,” Fox News Digital was told. “Accordingly, and consistent with our policies and the law, once the court issued an order dismissing his cases, Mr. Morales Ortez was released.” Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger, according to local Virginia news outlet WJLA-TV, is currently considering Kincaid for a top Virginia State Police position. ICE ARRESTS CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF FLEEING HEAD-ON CRASH THAT SEVERELY INJURED MARYLAND WOMAN In response to this incident, a Homeland Security spokesperson said they “have blood on their hands.” “This is nothing more than sanctuary politicians trying to pass the blame for their REFUSAL to protect American citizens,” the spokesperson said. “To honor a detainer, officials do NOT need a judicial warrant. The sanctuary politicians of Fairfax have blood on their hands. They should have turned this serial criminal illegal alien over to ICE law enforcement–instead they chose to RELEASE him back into Virginia neighborhoods.” While Morales-Ortez has been charged with at least seven crimes in Fairfax County since 2020, including assault and first-degree murder, he was only found guilty in one theft case, according to local media and court records, which indicated that Morales-Ortez was fined $300 but has yet to pay. Virginians 4 Safe Communities, a public safety group critical of Descano, slammed the Northern Virginia county’s Soros-backed top cop amid news of Morales-Ortez’s alleged murder and the fact he was released from custody just a day before committing it. “For Steve Descano’s office, letting violent criminals out to commit more crimes isn’t a bug, it’s a feature. But he bungles so many cases you can’t always tell where the incompetence ends and the ideology begins,” Sean Kennedy, Virginians for Safe Communities president, told Fox News Digital. “That a dangerous offender would go free and create more victims is so commonplace in Fairfax that may have become numb to it. Descano exploits that.” Under President Donald Trump’s second administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests in Virginia have nearly tripled compared to the previous administration. Last month, Homeland Security (DHS) called out some of the state’s “worst of the worst” dangerous and violent illegal immigrant offenders captured in just a week’s time. The undocumented immigrant offenders highlighted by DHS came from Central America and the Caribbean, including El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, their crimes ranged from drug smuggling to domestic violence, rape, “carnal abuse,” making terroristic threats, extortion and more.