Ram Mandir donation theft case: UP BJP chief Pankaj Chaudhary says ‘no one will be spared’
A fierce political storm has erupted over the embezzlement case involving donations to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, drawing sharp rebukes from opposition leaders and triggering an aggressive defence from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Texas leads nation in proposed power plants for data centers, which would emit large amounts of greenhouse gases
Nearly half of the power plants planned to supply electricity for data centers would be in Texas. Experts warn they will emit significant pollution that could harm the health of communities nearby.
Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock to resign at end of month
Gov. Greg Abbott appointed the former GOP lawmaker to the role last year, giving him the reins of Texas’ $1 billion school voucher rollout. Hancock was defeated in his bid for a full term in March.
ICE surges enforcement, makes 10,000 arrests in five days amid Supreme Court birthright citizenship decision
FIRST ON FOX: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is ramping up arrests as a Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship delivered a blow to the Trump administration’s efforts to curb immigration policy. Fox News Digital obtained figures from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) source that showed more than 10,000 arrests have been made in the last five days alone. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship, upholding the long-standing policy that most children who are born in the U.S. will automatically become citizens, even if the child’s parents are living in the country illegally. TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP A source familiar with ICE operations said the agency is currently ramping up operations using funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill as the passage of the legislation nears its one-year anniversary. The court cited the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution as the basis for the decision, saying “Children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the United States and are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause.” Trump punched back at the ruling, urging Congress to amend the Constitution to pave a path to abolishing birthright citizenship. REPUBLICAN ACCUSES SCOTUS OF BETRAYING US, PUSHES BILL RESTRICTING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, PREGNANT VISITORS “No long and unwieldy Constitutional Amendment is necessary! Congress should start TODAY to work on ending expensive and unfair to our Country, Birthright Citizenship,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “They will have my Complete and Total Support!” As ICE seeks to increase arrests, agitators have been mobilizing across the country, demanding better living conditions for those detained in federal facilities and calling for reforms to ICE operational protocols. In late May, agitators flooded the Delaney Hall ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey, in a violent clash between rioters and ICE agents alongside local law enforcement officers. FBI ARRESTS PROTESTER WHO THREATENED TO KILL ICE OFFICER’S FAMILY AT NJ DETENTION CENTER PROTEST, BLANCHE SAYS A Fox News Digital investigation, based on reporting from the ground in Newark, in secret Signal group chats, a number of tax filings, strategy documents, and social media posts, found that the protests outside Delaney Hall were not a spontaneous grassroots uprising. Instead, they were the product of years of coordinated planning by a network of well-funded, highly organized groups that used a local controversy as a platform to challenge federal immigration policies and, more broadly, the United States. The network behind the Delaney Hall protests includes about 100 groups, some of them big names like the ACLU, Indivisible and Democratic Socialists of America. Together, these organizations report collective annual revenues of about $825 million, approximately equal to the annual budget of Newark. Despite the organized resistance, ICE operations continued, and DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement that a majority of arrests involve illegal migrants who have previously been charged or convicted of a crime. “Since Day One, DHS law enforcement has been delivering on President Trump’s promise to the American people to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists,” Bis explained. “Nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. More than 3 million illegal aliens are out of the country and counting. Our message is clear: if you come to our country illegally, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you,” she added.
McConnell was found ‘unconscious’ in home last month as condition remains unknown
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was reportedly found “unconscious” in his Washington, D.C. home last month before being taken to the hospital, as his condition and timetable to return to the Senate remain a mystery. Audio from an emergency dispatch from a call on June 14, the day McConnell was sent to the hospital, released Wednesday by reporter Desirée Townsend and later reported by PunchBowl News revealed that the longtime Senate Republican was “unconscious,” and that the dispatcher requested an Advanced Life Support (ALS) response. McConnell, 82, has been absent from the Senate ever since, and it is unclear when he will return. His office did not return a request for comment on his condition, why he was hospitalized and when he would return to the upper chamber. HOUSE DEM URGES TRANSPARENCY BY PUBLIC OFFICIALS AFTER GOP COLLEAGUE REVEALS REASON FOR EXTENDED ABSENCE The day of McConnell’s hospitalization, his office released that the lawmaker “was admitted to the hospital this morning” and was “receiving excellent care.” David Popp, his spokesperson, later said that McConnell was “working closely with staff on Senate business and Kentucky matters as he continues his recovery.” Senate Republican leadership said they had spoken with McConnell after the incident, too. SUPREME COURT RULING SPARKS RACE TO KILL A MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR LOOPHOLE IN CONGRESS Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who replaced McConnell after his historic run as leader of the Senate GOP, said that he “is clearly dialed in to what’s going on.” “He’s following along with stuff we are doing this week up here,” Thune said. “Very much so.” SOROS NETWORK TARGETS DEEP-RED MISSISSIPPI IN BID TO FLIP SENATE SEAT McConnell, who is retiring from the Senate at the end of this year, is in his second stint in the hospital of 2026 — he was hospitalized for eight days in February dealing with flu-like symptoms. And over the last few years, he’s suffered medical episodes publicly and privately. He fell and cracked his rib and got a concussion in 2023. He fell again in July of that year and shortly after had two different episodes where he froze up in front of cameras. In 2024, he fell at a Senate Republican lunch, and last year he tripped and fell in the Senate basement.
Fox News Poll: A close Senate contest is brewing in Iowa
The race to succeed Iowa’s retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst is on track to be one of the closest Senate contests in 2026. Ernst, the first woman senator to represent the Hawkeye State, won by 6.5 points in 2020, and President Donald Trump carried it by 8 points that year and by 13 in 2024. A new statewide Fox News survey finds Iowans now view Trump negatively by 13 points (42% favorable vs. 55% unfavorable). That’s a 19-point swing compared to his +6 rating (52-46%) in the November 2024 Iowa Fox News Voter Analysis (FNVA) election survey. The last time Iowa elected a Democratic senator was Tom Harkin nearly 20 years ago (2008). As it stands, Democrat Josh Turek has an early 4-point advantage over Republican Ashley Hinson: 50% vs. 46%. It’s an edge that’s within the poll’s margin of error. Among voters who say they are extremely motivated to vote, Turek holds a 15-point lead, coming largely from greater enthusiasm among Democrats (67% extremely motivated) than Republicans (53%). FOX NEWS POLL: MAINE SENATE RACE IS TIGHT, WITH CONCERNS ABOUT BOTH CANDIDATES Hinson’s net favorability is more positive than Trump’s, yet still negative by 7 points (42% favorable, 49% unfavorable) while Turek is much more popular with a net positive rating of 18 points (51%-33%). Sixteen percent have no opinion of Turek while 9% say the same of Hinson. In the head-to-head, Turek benefits from the support of women with a college degree (65%), independents (59%), urban voters (59%), and voters under age 30 (55%). Hinson’s backing comes from White evangelical Christians (67%), men ages 45 and over (55%), veterans (52%), and men without a college degree (52%). Her support is strongest among MAGA Republicans, who are 23 points more likely to back her than non-MAGA GOPers (95% vs. 72%). Overall, by 8 points, more Democrats support Turek (96%) than Republicans back Hinson (88%). FOX NEWS POLL: LOOKING AHEAD TO AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY By a 10-point margin, more of Turek’s supporters (82%) than Hinson’s (72%) say they are certain to support their candidate in November. Nearly 3 in 10 Hinson supporters say they may change their mind. More Hinson supporters say their vote is for her rather than against her opponent compared to Turek supporters (77% vote is for Hinson vs. 60% for Turek). Trump endorsed Hinson last September and voters are divided over her ties to the president: 50% say they are extremely or very concerned she’s too close to Trump, while 48% say they’re not very or not at all concerned. Fewer voters are worried Turek’s positions on the issues are too liberal: 37% concerned vs. 59% not concerned. “Iowa has turned red during the last decade, but these data suggest a reversion to swing status,” says Republican Pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. “A trifecta of issues helps Democrats: Iowans have been hit hard by rising prices, they are notoriously skeptical about foreign engagements, and the agricultural community isn’t happy about tariffs.” In the 2024 FNVA, 31% of Iowans said they were falling behind financially. That number is now 42% — nearly 4 times as many as those saying they are getting ahead (11%). Nearly half say they are holding steady (46%). Four in 10 Iowans say the most important issue to their Senate vote will be inflation (39%). Healthcare (14%), immigration/border security (13%), and political divisions (13%) lag behind, and even fewer say abortion (6%), jobs/unemployment (6%), Iran (4%), and crime (2%). Turek has the edge on voters who say their most important issues are inflation (+15 points), healthcare (+53), and political divisions (+20). Hinson has a whopping 88-point advantage on the issue of immigration. Like Ernst, Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds opted not to seek a third term. The new survey finds Democratic nominee Rob Sand with a 9-point lead over Republican challenger Zach Lahn in the race to succeed Reynolds. Sand benefits from some crossover support, as 11% of Hinson supporters favor him for governor compared to 7% of Turek supporters backing Lahn. More Sand supporters say they’re certain of their choice than Lahn backers (81% to 74%). Sand enjoys a +21 personal rating: 54% favorable, 33% unfavorable. Lahn’s ratings are negative by 3 points, with 20% unable to rate him (38% favorable, 41% unfavorable, 20% no opinion). CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Conducted June 23-27, 2026 under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News Poll includes interviews with a sample of 1,003 Iowa registered voters randomly selected from a statewide voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (104) and cellphones (662) or completed the survey online after receiving a text message (237). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ± 3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population. Results among subgroups are only shown when the sample size is at least N=100.
Fox News Poll: An early look at the Georgia Senate race
Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff narrowly won his Senate seat in a January 2021 runoff, defeating Republican David Perdue by just over a percentage point. New Fox News polling suggests a different dynamic this time, as Ossoff holds a double-digit lead over GOP challenger Mike Collins in the 2026 Georgia Senate race. After receiving a last-minute endorsement from President Trump in the June GOP primary runoff, Collins defeated Derek Dooley, who was backed by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Trump carried the Peach State by about 2 points in 2024 after losing it by less than a point in 2020. He won the state by more than 5 points in 2016. The Fox News survey, released Wednesday, finds Ossoff receives 56% support from Georgia registered voters compared to 43% for Collins. The incumbent Democrat enjoys strong support from Black voters (87%), those under age 30 (68%), independents (68%), moderates (66%), and women under 45 (66%). Among the 82% of Georgia voters who say they are motivated to vote, Ossoff leads by 11 points (55% vs. 44% Collins). Collins’ best groups include White evangelical Christians (79%), White men without a college degree (65%), and rural voters (55%). About half of gun-owner households (53%) and veterans (50%) also favor him. FOX NEWS POLL: MAINE SENATE RACE IS TIGHT, WITH CONCERNS ABOUT BOTH CANDIDATES Ossoff benefits from greater party loyalty, as nearly all Democrats (96%) back him and more than 8 in 10 of his supporters say their vote is for him rather than against Collins. For Collins, 9 in 10 Republicans back him (89%) but only 56% of his supporters say their vote is for him, while 44% say it is primarily against Ossoff. FOX NEWS POLL: LOOKING AHEAD TO AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY Notably, nearly a quarter of non-MAGA Republicans say they will back the Democrat compared to just 4% of MAGA supporters. Ossoff is mostly matching his numbers among demographics in the 2021 Georgia Senate Runoff Fox News Voter Analysis (FNVA) election survey, while Collins is underperforming Perdue. There are similar levels of enthusiasm for both candidates. About 8 in 10 Ossoff supporters say they are certain to vote for him (81%) and are extremely or very motivated to cast a ballot (81%). Among Collins supporters, 78% are certain to back him and 84% are motivated to vote. Nearly 6 in 10 voters have a favorable opinion of Ossoff (58%), much higher than the 4 in 10 for Collins (44%) and Trump (42%). Trump’s favorable rating is down 5 points from 47% in the 2024 Georgia FNVA. Georgians are 6 points more likely to say they are extremely or very concerned that Collins is too close to Trump (53%) than that Ossoff is too liberal (47%). Inflation dominates voter concerns, with 40% saying the issue will be most important to their Senate vote. Healthcare ranks a distant second (13%), followed by political divisions (11%), immigration (11%), and jobs and unemployment (11%). Fewer say the Iran conflict (5%), crime (5%), or abortion (3%). Ossoff holds large advantages among voters who are most concerned about inflation (+21), healthcare (+40), and political divisions (+18), while Collins has a significant lead among those focused on immigration (+45). “As Brooklyn Dodgers’ announcer Red Barber used to say, Ossoff is ‘sitting in the Catbird seat’” says Daron Shaw, a Republican who conducts the survey with Democrat Chris Anderson. “My hunch is the race will become much more competitive, but Collins has work to do convincing Republicans and independents that he and the president can make things more affordable for rank-and-file Georgians.” Despite concerns about inflation, half say their finances are holding steady (51%), while 35% say they are falling behind. Only 14% feel they are getting ahead financially. In the Georgia governor’s race, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms has a 5-point edge, with 52% support compared to 47% for Republican Rick Jackson. That is within the poll’s margin of error. The results show some ticket splitting: 11% of Ossoff supporters cross party lines to back Jackson for governor, while 5% of Collins supporters back Lance Bottoms. Lance Bottoms’ supporters are more certain of their vote than Jackson’s (80% vs. 75%). Both candidates have net-positive personal favorability ratings. Lance Bottoms is viewed favorably by 52% and unfavorably by 38%, while for Jackson it is 43% favorable and 38% unfavorable. Roughly 1 in 10 voters have never heard of each candidate. CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Conducted June 23-27, 2026 under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News Poll includes interviews with a sample of 1,002 Georgia registered voters randomly selected from a statewide voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (39) and cellphones (710) or completed the survey online after receiving a text message (253). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ± 3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population. Results among subgroups are only shown when the sample size is at least N=100.
Supreme Court ruling sparks race to kill a multibillion-dollar loophole in Congress
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., has a plan to snuff out a multibillion-dollar global industry. Scott is one of several Republicans racing to ram birthright citizenship tweaks through Congress after the Supreme Court’s bombshell ruling blocking the Trump administration’s effort to limit the right and President Donald Trump’s call for lawmakers to quickly respond. Despite an increasingly crowded field of legislation, Scott argued in an interview with Fox News Digital that his approach to halt birth tourism could work, even with Democrats. TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP “The whole concept of the 14th Amendment, that ‘under the jurisdiction thereof,’ if you are on vacation in America, you certainly should not have a child while you’re here and think in any way, shape or form that kid is going to somehow, some way be an American citizen,” Scott said. “That’s just illogical. I would just say look at it from the mirror perspective,” he continued. “If you did that in any other country, would that child in that country become a citizen of that country? The answer is no.” Scott’s legislation, which is still being drafted, would target tourism visas and any child born in the U.S. to a woman with said visa from becoming an American citizen. REPUBLICAN ACCUSES SCOTUS OF BETRAYING US, PUSHES BILL RESTRICTING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, PREGNANT VISITORS His legislation is “designed specifically to get to the president’s desk to sign into law,” a tacit acknowledgment that in the Senate, he will need Democratic support to put a dent into the issue. “That means that Democrats cannot have any opposition to this notion that thousands of companies having hundreds of thousands of women come to this country to have a baby so that they leave with an American citizen,” Scott said. “We should break that whole cycle, destroy it in its infancy by not allowing it to exist at all,” he continued. “And that to me is the best approach.” Trump said he would prefer legislation over a “long and unwieldy” constitutional amendment, which has been floated by a handful of Senate Republicans, including Sens. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., and Rand Paul, R-Ky. Tackling the 14th Amendment completely is something Scott said he’d do, but he acknowledged that it’s not “possible in the current political environment.” “What is possible is for us to recognize that if you’re here temporarily, and you know you’re here temporarily, you should not leave with an American citizen as your child just because you gave birth on our soil,” Scott said. Meanwhile, in the House, there’s another approach led by Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn. Ogles, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, unveiled legislation Wednesday that would allow the government to bar pregnant foreigners from entering the United States. SOROS NETWORK TARGETS DEEP-RED MISSISSIPPI IN BID TO FLIP SENATE SEAT The Tennessee Republican says the measure, dubbed the Anchors Away Act, is necessary to crack down on the birth tourism industry, in which foreigners give birth on U.S. soil so that their children obtain U.S. citizenship. However, the legislation faces steep obstacles to clearing Congress, and it is unclear whether the bill would get a floor vote in the House amid Republicans’ razor-thin majority. “This is a conversation that I’m starting that I’m a champion of,” Ogles told Fox News Digital in an interview. “I’m working with the White House. And as long as it takes to get it done, I’ll be here to fight for it.” Ogles has also authored the Assimilation Act, legislation that would impose vast changes to the legal immigration system by ending birthright citizenship, requiring employers to implement E-Verify and scrapping the green-card lottery, among other provisions. The Tennessee lawmaker’s recently introduced Remigration Act would allow the government to denaturalize individuals convicted of certain crimes, including defrauding the government. “What we’ve seen over the last several decades is that Congress, quite frankly, has delegated its right to legislate to the Supreme Court,” Ogles said. “So this actually creates the opportunity for Congress to do its job. To define what it is to be a naturalized citizen, to define who can and cannot come into this country, because as the legislative body, we are the ones that are supposed to make those decisions.”
Pentagon consolidates drone oversight as Trump administration pushes rapid unmanned warfare expansion
The Pentagon announced Wednesday it is consolidating oversight of all military drones and autonomous systems under a newly created office as the Department of War moves to accelerate development and fielding of the technology across the armed forces. According to a War Department memo, the newly established Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Unmanned Systems will report directly to Deputy Secretary of War Stephen Feinberg, and oversee unmanned and autonomous systems across the land, sea and air domains. The office also will oversee funding, acquisition and policy for unmanned systems programs currently spread across the military services, the Defense Innovation Unit, Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group. CHINA’S GRIP ON RARE-EARTH MAGNETS COULD CRUSH US DRONE INDUSTRY BEFORE IT GROWS The move is intended to centralize oversight of the Pentagon’s rapidly expanding drone and autonomous systems programs. “Drones and autonomous systems represent the most consequential battlefield innovation of this generation,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement announcing the reorganization. “Adversaries collectively produce millions of unmanned systems each year across all domains,” he continued. “While global military production has skyrocketed over the last three years, the United States must move at the speed this moment demands to field these capabilities at scale and secure our tactical and strategic edge.” ‘A NEW KIND OF WAR’: INSIDE UKRAINE’S HIDDEN FACTORIES MASS-PRODUCING COMBAT DRONES The announcement follows the Trump administration’s broader push to expand the military’s use of drones and autonomous systems. In December, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth touted the administration’s “Drone Dominance” initiative, calling it “a billion-dollar program funded by President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill.” “We cannot afford to shoot down cheap drones with $2 million missiles. And we ourselves must be able to field large quantities of capable attack drones,” Hegseth said in a video message. ARMY TRAINS FOR MODERN BATTLEFIELD WITH TEXAS EXERCISE FOCUSED ON SPEED, TECHNOLOGY Hegseth said the Pentagon plans to deliver tens of thousands of small drones to U.S. forces in 2026 and hundreds of thousands more by 2027 while reshaping warfighting doctrine to integrate unmanned systems throughout combat units. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has also repeatedly argued that drones will dominate future battlefields. “Drones are the future of warfare. Manned aircraft are not,” Musk wrote in a post on X last year. The department said the new office will consolidate specialized expertise under a single leadership structure to speed the development, procurement and fielding of autonomous capabilities and help preserve the U.S. military’s tactical and strategic advantage over potential adversaries. Fox News’ Liz Friden contributed to this report.
DOJ targets Spanberger, Newsom gun laws with twin lawsuits after SCOTUS affirms Second Amendment rights
The Justice Department escalated its push against state gun restrictions Wednesday, filing lawsuits against California and Virginia just a week after the Supreme Court reaffirmed that the Second Amendment is not a “second-class right” in its decision in Wolford v. Lopez. The coordinated legal challenges target Democratic-backed firearm laws in both states, with the department seeking to block California’s restrictions on the sale of new Glock-style semiautomatic pistols and Virginia’s ban on the manufacture, sale, transfer and purchase of certain semiautomatic firearms classified as assault weapons. The California lawsuit was filed hours after the state’s new handgun restrictions took effect, following Attorney General Rob Bonta’s refusal to negotiate with the Justice Department over what federal officials contend are unconstitutional limits on gun rights. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said the administration is taking alleged infringements of the Second Amendment seriously. COMER PROBES ALLEGED BIDEN COLLUSION WITH GUN CONTROL ACTIVISTS IN GLOCK LAWSUIT “This lawsuit is yet another example of this Justice Department enforcing the Second Amendment by protecting citizens against unconstitutional state regulation of firearms,” Dhillon said in a press release. Bonta revealed Tuesday that the Justice Department had sent California a notice of intent to sue, arguing the law violates the Second Amendment. In a response letter, Bonta rejected the Department’s legal position and refused to negotiate. “The Unsafe Handgun Act and Penal Code section 27595 are commonsense handgun design safety laws that help to prevent accidental discharges by experienced and non-experienced firearm users as well as the conversion of semiautomatic pistols into deadly automatic firing weapons,” Bonta wrote. “If the U.S. Department of Justice decides to file the lawsuit described in your letter, it will not be breaking any new ground.” Dhillon responded on X with a brief message: “See you in court.” The Justice Department soon afterward announced its lawsuit against California, naming Dhillon and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jesus Osete as counsel. SPANBERGER’S LATEST ‘GUN-GRABBING NONSENSE’ PROMPTS ACTION FROM TRUMP DOJ: ‘STAY TUNED!’ Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s office accused the Trump administration of attempting to dismantle California’s gun safety laws. “Our response is simple — these laws save lives,” Newsom spokeswoman Diana Crofts-Pelayo said. “California has proven that strong, evidence-based gun safety measures can reduce gun violence while respecting the rights of responsible gun owners.” Crofts-Pelayo said California would not be “intimidated” by what she called politically motivated litigation and would continue enforcing laws designed to keep dangerous weapons off the streets. California has some of the nation’s strictest firearm regulations, which state officials credit with helping produce one of the country’s lowest gun death rates. The Golden State’s top elected Republican, however, appeared to agree with the DOJ that the law erodes Californians’ rights. “The Second Amendment applies to every American, even those living in California. Unfortunately, California Democrats find that fact inconvenient, so they ignore it in their efforts to erode and ultimately eliminate Californians’ lawful access to firearms,” said Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-San Diego. “For decades, the Democrats in California have trampled the constitution with complete disregard for the rights of everyday Californians and banning the most popular firearm on the market is just the latest example,” he told Fox News Digital. “That’s why action like this is needed and I’m grateful that the DOJ has decided to join the fight and help preserve our constitutionally guaranteed freedoms in California.” The California lawsuit came shortly after the Justice Department sued Virginia over a newly enacted ban on so-called assault firearms. The lawsuit challenges Senate Bill 749, sponsored by state Sen. Saddam Salim, D-Dunn Loring, and signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger in May. The ban took effect Wednesday, making it a misdemeanor to import, sell, manufacture, purchase or transfer certain semiautomatic firearms defined as assault weapons under state law. SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN BLUE STATE’S ‘VAMPIRE RULE’ IN MAJOR WIN FOR GUN RIGHTS Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Constitution “is not a suggestion” and that the Second Amendment is not a “second-class right.” Dhillon said she warned Spanberger in April that the Justice Department would sue if she signed the legislation and said Wednesday the administration was following through on that pledge. A spokesperson for Spanberger defended the law, saying the governor “firmly believes that firearms designed to inflict maximum casualties do not belong in our communities, near our kids and schools, or on Virginia’s streets.” “The Governor signed this commonsense legislation to save lives and protect law enforcement officers, kids, and families from gun violence — and the Governor remains committed to making the Commonwealth a safer home for every family,” the spokesperson said. Virginia House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Gate City, welcomed the lawsuit, saying the state is now using taxpayer dollars to defend “an unconstitutional gun ban against the United States itself.” “That is where the Richmond Democrats’ agenda has led — into court, on the wrong side of the Constitution,” Kilgore told Fox News Digital. “House Republicans said this law could not stand. A Virginia court has already blocked it, and now the Justice Department agrees. It should be repealed.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER The National Association for Gun Rights also praised the department’s actions. “Thank God a small number of committed individuals in DC realize we only have a few years of opportunity to make moves like this, and they’re seizing it,” the group said. Hannah Hill, executive director of the National Foundation for Gun Rights, said the Supreme Court’s ruling in Wolford v. Lopez, which she said strengthened Second Amendment protections, gave the Justice Department additional legal support for its latest lawsuits against California and Virginia. “The timing is perfect for the Department of Justice to begin to be filing these lawsuits to strike out gun bans all across the country, it’s a really bad time to be a gun grabber,” Hill told Fox News Digital. The lawsuits came the same day the Supreme Court agreed to hear two Second Amendment cases next term challenging state and local