Days after Indore water tragedy, Noida authority takes BIG action: Set to form special technical committee to…
Following the Indore water contamination incident, the Noida Authority formed a special technical committee to inspect drinking water quality and detect leakages. The move aims to prevent similar incidents, alongside reviews of road infrastructure, sanitation, and key civic projects.
In border visit, John Cornyn resists calls to expand visas for foreign workers
The Republican U.S. senator praised Trump’s border initiatives and said fully securing the border should take priority over changing immigration law.
City of San Antonio shuts down its abortion travel fund
The fund’s demise comes after a new law banning government-supported funds that help people travel out of state for an abortion.
Texas proposes 13,000% licensing fee hike on retailers who sell hemp-derived THC
Hemp advocates say raising annual licensing fees for retailers from $150 to $20,000 and for manufacturers from $250 to $25,000 would shutter small businesses.
Garcia Hernandez, Cassandra
HB 148 Author: Garcia Hernandez, Cassandra
Isaac
HB 147 Author: Isaac
Federal judge blocks Trump from cutting childcare funds to Democratic states over fraud concerns
A federal judge Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from stopping subsidies on childcare programs in five states, including Minnesota, amid allegations of fraud. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, a Biden appointee, didn’t rule on the legality of the funding freeze, but said the states had met the legal threshold to maintain the “status quo” on funding for at least two weeks while arguments continue. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said it would withhold funds for programs in five Democratic states over fraud concerns. The programs include the Child Care and Development Fund, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, and the Social Services Block Grant, all of which help needy families. USDA IMMEDIATELY SUSPENDS ALL FEDERAL FUNDING TO MINNESOTA AMID FRAUD INVESTIGATION “Families who rely on childcare and family assistance programs deserve confidence that these resources are used lawfully and for their intended purpose,” HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill said in a statement on Tuesday. The states, which include California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York, argued in court filings that the federal government didn’t have the legal right to end the funds and that the new policy is creating “operational chaos” in the states. In total, the states said they receive more than $10 billion in federal funding for the programs. HHS said it had “reason to believe” that the programs were offering funds to people in the country illegally. ‘TIP OF THE ICEBERG’: SENATE REPUBLICANS PRESS GOV WALZ OVER MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is leading the lawsuit, called the ruling a “critical victory for families whose lives have been upended by this administration’s cruelty.” Fox News Digital has reached out to HHS for comment.
Picking the right fight: Congressional tensions rise in wake of Minnesota ICE-involved shooting
We will know in short order if a political fight is brewing. Such is the case in the past few days regarding congressional spending and war powers. Article I, Section 9 declares, “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” The most important power granted to Congress is over the federal purse strings. In other words, what Congress deems the federal government should spend. There were calls from the left to hold up funding for the Pentagon or State Department after the U.S. strike in Venezuela. Now, there’s a debate about hamstringing the Department of Homeland Security and ICE after an agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. Liberal Democrats are apoplectic. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: PROGRESSIVES EYE SHUTDOWN LEVERAGE TO REIN IN ICE, VENEZUELA OPERATIONS “A child has her lost her mom. And y’all want to pretend that it is OK,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, fighting back tears. “I am asking if there is anyone that will stand for the very people that elected us and sent us to Congress?” “A lot of people are talking about different reforms, and that’s their prerogative,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee. “Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee have written [Chairman Andrew] Garbarino, R-N.Y., saying, ‘We’d like to have an oversight hearing on what’s happening with ICE.’ That’s a reasonable request.” I pressed Thompson on whether Congress should use appropriations to effect change at ICE. “That’s above my pay grade,” answered Thompson. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., is the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. He’s more aggressive about Congress exerting its muscle over the federal treasury. “We should use every means at our disposal to do it,” said Raskin. “Including the appropriations process.” Sometimes that involves cutting off money. Sometimes that entails limiting spending. Sometimes lawmakers include language to forbid certain activities by federal departments or agencies. Or the legislative language might direct agencies to handle duties a particular way. But some progressives are so enraged that they want to slash money for ICE. And maybe even shut down the government. The next deadline is 11:59 p.m. EST Jan. 30, 2026. “I am concerned about that,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told colleague Kelly Phares. “I think that’s a terrible idea.” When asked about a possible shutdown over ICE, the speaker believed lawmakers could avoid that. Republicans balk at any move by the left to reprise a government shutdown strategy after the 43-day shutdown last fall. VANCE DEMANDS DEMOCRATS ANSWER WHETHER ICE OFFICER IN MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING WAS ‘WRONG IN DEFENDING HIS LIFE’ “It will be weapons-grade stupid,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. “But I don’t put anything past them. So, maybe they’ve not learned anything from the fall shutdown, which was dumb.” Congress has not yet addressed the funding bills for the Pentagon or State Department for fiscal year 2026. The same with DHS, although that bill is coming soon. Funding for nine distinct sections of the federal government expires at the end of the day on Jan. 30. That includes DHS. The House just approved a “minibus” spending package, tackling appropriations for energy and water programs, the Department of Interior and the Departments of Commerce and Justice and science programs. The plan is for the Senate to align with the House on these bills. But, regardless, Congress would probably have to approve another “continuing resolution” (CR) to keep the lights on in all other quarters of the federal government after the Jan. 30 deadline. A CR simply renews all federal funding at present levels. So, it’s likely Congress would OK whatever spending bills they’ve worked out and put everything else in a CR to avoid a shutdown. But some progressives have other ideas. They want to use this government funding deadline as “leverage” over ICE and operations related to Venezuela. Passing a new DHS appropriations bill gives lawmakers opportunities to alter policy or contour the funding there. If both the House and Senate haven’t approved a full-year DHS spending package, Congress would simply re-up the current levels for the time being. That is, unless Republicans lack the votes on their side, and they need Democrats to bail them out. Some progressive Democrats are pushing for a shutdown over the ICE issue alone. But it’s probably not going to come to that. Why? House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., don’t want to go anywhere near another fight over government funding this year. “Is ICE a red line in the funding fight? Must that be part of any funding bill?” CNN’s Manu Raju asked Jeffries. “Our focus right now, in terms of the appropriations bill, are getting the three bills that are going to be on the floor today over the finish line. And then we’ll turn to the Homeland Security,” Jeffries said just hours before the House approved the triumvirate of other spending packages. But I followed up, asking Jeffries about why Democrats wouldn’t assert themselves if this issue was so critical. “No, what I’m focused on right now, Chad, is to make life better for the American people by extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits. Which, by the way, a lot of folks in this institution believe was not possible,” said Jeffries. That’s a reference to the Democrats’ bill to renew the expired Obamacare subsidies that passed Thursday. Remember that extending those subsidies was at the heart of last year’s government shutdown. Schumer punted as well when asked about ICE and congressional spending. “Should ICE be abolished, senator?” one reporter asked. “I have lots of problems with ICE,” Schumer replied. JEFFRIES CALLS NOEM ‘STONE-COLD LIAR’ OVER MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING RESPONSE, DEMANDS INVESTIGATIONS “Should it be abolished?” the reporter followed up. “Thank you,” said Schumer, walking through the Capitol Visitor’s Center from the House side toward the Senate side. Yours truly jumped in. “Why is there resistance to use the appropriations process, either for Venezuela or
USDA immediately suspends all federal funding to Minnesota amid fraud investigation
The Trump administration announced Thursday it is suspending all U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding to Minnesota, effective immediately, with a large-scale fraud investigation underway. “Enough is enough! The Trump administration has uncovered MASSIVE fraud in Minnesota and Minneapolis —billions siphoned off by fraudsters. And those in charge have ZERO plan to fix it,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins wrote in a social media post. The USDA will suspend federal financial awards to the state “until sufficient proof has been provided that the fraud has stopped,” according to Rollins. ‘TIP OF THE ICEBERG’: SENATE REPUBLICANS PRESS GOV WALZ OVER MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL “No more handouts to thieves!” she wrote in the post. “Time to drain the Minnesota swamp and put American taxpayers first.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday said Minnesota tax dollars may have been filtered to terrorist group al-Shabab after a December investigation by his agency. In one alleged fraud scheme, the nonprofit “Feeding Our Future” allegedly swindled $250 million from a USDA-funded children’s nutrition program that Minnesota oversaw during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dozens of people are charged with faking invoices, attendance records and meal distribution in low-income communities in Minnesota, having allegedly used USDA COVID-era waivers that allowed for unchecked program enrollment. DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER SAYS FOCUS SHOULD BE ON ‘WHITE MEN’ AT MINNESOTA FRAUD HEARING Earlier this week, the Department of Health and Human Services froze funding for several childcare grant programs in the state, including the Child Care and Development Fund, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Social Services Block Grant programs. A federal judge blocked the action Friday, finding the Trump administration could not block federal funding for childcare subsidies and programs to aid low-income families, according to a report from The Associated Press. Another scheme allegedly involved the Housing Stability Services Program, which doled out Medicaid coverage for housing stabilization services for those with disabilities, mental illnesses and substance-use disorders. Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: AOC accuses Vance of believing ‘American people should be assassinated’
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Hawley breaks with Trump on Venezuela as policy rift continues -Bessent blames Walz as Treasury probes whether Minnesota fraud funds reached al-Shabab -Grassley presses FBI over Trump Arctic Frost probe name, calls change ‘anything but random’ Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is leveling a stunning accusation at Vice President JD Vance amid the national furor over this week’s fatal shooting in Minnesota involving an ICE agent. “I understand that Vice President Vance believes that shooting a young mother of three in the face three times is an acceptable America that he wants to live in, and I do not,” the four-term federal lawmaker from New York and progressive champion argued as she answered questions on Friday on Capitol Hill from Fox News and other news organizations. Ocasio-Cortez spoke in the wake of Wednesday’s shooting death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good after she confronted ICE agents from inside her car in Minneapolis…READ MORE. 1798 LAW INVOKED: Trump admin says Maduro capture reinforces Alien Enemies Act removals ‘SMART GESTURE’: President Trump says there won’t be a ‘second Wave of Attacks’ against Venezuela due to their ‘cooperation’ ‘LET LOOSE’: Dem narrative challenged after DHS exposes identity of ‘married couple’ in CBP-related shooting POWER AND PETROLEUM: Trump’s Venezuela push runs into hard realities for US energy giants SHADOW SHIPS: Inside the sea war to contain ‘dark fleet’ vessels — and what the US seizure signals to Russia COURAGE OVER HATE: Johnson meets with Muslim man who confronted, disarmed Bondi Beach attacker REIN IT IN: House Dem backs the idea of reining in DHS funding in wake of ICE-involved shooting in Minnesota LANGUAGE WARNING: Dem levels ‘state-sponsored terrorism’ accusation after Portland shooting: ‘Stop f—ing with us’ PARTY-LINE SPLIT: House Republicans defend ICE agent in fatal shooting, say use of force was justified ROAD TRIP: Republican senators hit border trail, touting tax relief and tougher security, in 2026 kickoff CONFIRMATION BLOCK: GOP senator blocks Trump DHS nominees until Noem testifies before Senate TITLE IX SHOWDOWN: Supreme Court to review state bans on transgender athletes’ participation in school sports SHOW US THE BOOKS: Pritzker challengers demand audit, plan ‘DOGE for Illinois’ as lawmaker predicts ‘stunning’ results CULTURE SIGNAL: Obama Presidential Center job listings push ‘anti-racism’ pledge ahead of opening ‘LIKELY ILLEGAL’: Watchdog exposes taxpayer-funded teacher program for banning White applicants: ‘Likely illegal’ VOTE WAR ERUPTS: EXCLUSIVE: DNC joins Supreme Court voting case, blasts RNC effort as ‘wholly un-American’ PARENTS’ RIGHTS WAR: Catholic group asks SCOTUS to block California law against revealing students’ gender identities to parents Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.