Unaccompanied minors represent themselves in federal court as migrant cases surge
Nearly half of the unaccompanied minors making their way through immigration courts have been unable to secure legal counsel, according to a new report, a growing issue as the backlog of court cases continues to surge. One expert who spoke to Fox News Digital said those numbers may be exacerbated by young adults posing as minors and snatching up scarce legal resources. Some federal immigration courts have seen more than half of the unaccompanied minors that appear before the court do so without legal representation, according to an ABC News report. The report highlighted the case of 18-year-old Brian Arevalo, who arrived in the U.S. two years ago. Arevalo doesn’t speak English and told ABC News that he was forced to flee his parents and siblings in Mexico as a result of the increased violence in his area. THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS SNEAKING INTO US DAILY DESPITE BIDEN’S BORDER ORDER Arevalo arrived in immigration court in April and informed the judge he was not able to find legal representation despite searching for several months. He was granted a three-month extension and is due back in court in June; he told ABC News that he still has yet to find an attorney. Similar cases have become commonplace, with experts noting that unaccompanied minors are often unable to speak English yet are forced to navigate the court system on their own. “Those who appear in immigration court unrepresented are often uneducated in our language, culture and law but are nevertheless required to present their claims unaided, while the DHS is represented by skilled government attorneys,” former immigration judge Dana Leigh Marks told ABC News. ‘BIDEN HAS FAILED’: DEMS SOUND OFF AFTER HANDLING OF BORDER CRISIS FRACTURES THEIR OWN PARTY But Alfonso Aguilar, the director of Hispanic Engagement at the American Principles Project, told Fox News Digital that many of the supposed minors arriving at the border are actually not children. “The majority of the unaccompanied minors today are not children. They are young adults coming here to work and should be removed,” Aguilar said. “Yet, they are grabbing all the immigration lawyers, putting at risk those migrants who actually may have a legitimate asylum case and really need legal counsel.” That reality puts the actual unaccompanied minors at an obvious disadvantage, Marks added. “How are they going to know, especially with maybe only an elementary school education, how to research country conditions, political struggles in their own land, and how it puts them at risk and corroborate their testimony?” Marks said. “All of that is extremely important.” Complicating matters is an exploding backlog of new cases, with the immigration court backlog growing from 2.8 million at the end of fiscal 2023 to nearly 3.6 million in fiscal 2024. Judges completed over a half million new cases this year, putting them on pace for an all-time record, but they still have been unable to keep pace with the surging cases. “Our system was never created to deal with the numbers we’re seeing,” Aguilar said. “We’re never going to have enough judges to process these cases.” Along with the shortage of judges is a shortage of attorneys, according to ABC News, despite the fact that some nonprofit law firms such as Kids in Need of Defense provide free representation to minors. “Just like we don’t have enough immigration judges to timely process the unprecedented number of migrants arriving at the southern border, we shouldn’t be surprised that there are not enough lawyers to represent unaccompanied minors in immigration court,” Aguilar said. “A lot of organizations are at capacity and can’t take cases and have to be put on a waiting list,” Jennifer Podkul, the vice president for policy and advocacy for Kids in Need of Defense, told ABC News. “We’ve put them into this complex deportation proceeding, and it doesn’t really make any sense.” That leaves unaccompanied minors to face the reality that having legal representation may make the difference in their case, a 2021 Congressional Research Report found. “Immigration judges are 100 times more likely to grant relief to unaccompanied children with legal representation than to those without it,” the report said.
AOC slammed for saying ‘false accusations’ of antisemitism are ‘wielded against people of color’
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said during an online discussion she hosted on Monday that “false accusations of antisemitism are wielded against people of color.” The “Squad” member hosted an online livestream titled “Antisemitism and the Fight for Democracy” on X, admitting that the rise in antisemitism and attacks against Jews since Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel – where about 1,200 people were killed and approximately 250 others were taken as hostages into Gaza – “undermined” the progressive movement. “Antisemitism, hate and violence against Jews because of their identity is real, and it is dangerous. It is also important to say here in this moment and during that conversation that criticism of the Israeli government is not inherently antisemitic and criticism of Zionism is not automatically antisemitic,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “That being true does not mean that we should not recognize that criticism and when that criticism crosses a line into real harm against our Jewish community,” she continued. “Antisemitism is an assault on our values as Americans and especially as progressives. Antisemitism is also a threat to a community that is a vital partner in our struggles against injustice. So, when the Jewish community is threatened, the progressive movement is undermined. That is why we reject it as fiercely as we reject and look for misogyny, Islamophobia or any form of bigotry or discrimination in any space that we occupy. Right now, antisemitism is on the rise in America and across the world. Acknowledging that fact does not take away from fights for liberation, it actually advances them.” “At the same time, it is also true that accusations and false accusations of antisemitism are wielded against people of color and women of color by bad-faith political actors,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “And weaponizing antisemitism is used to divide us and create a false choice between the fight for Jewish safety and the calls for Palestinian self-determination. Defending and standing for the rights of Palestinians is not antisemitic, and we must be able to identify when bad-faith political actors make accusations simply to divide us. People can disagree bitterly about Israel and Gaza, but it has felt that we’ve been at a point where even coming together to acknowledge and discuss any antisemitism at all can feel impossible.” People who have represented both sides of the political spectrum slammed Ocasio-Cortez for saying that there are false claims of antisemitism aimed at people of color. HOUSE REPUBLICAN USES AOC’S INSULT TO RIP SILENCE ON 2 POLICE OFFICERS ALLEGEDLY SHOT BY MIGRANT GANG MEMBER: ‘BABY GIRL’ “She is one of the most dangerous people because people are fooled by her,” former Democrat New York State Assembly member Dov Hikind told Fox News Digital in reaction to the congresswoman’s discussion. “She’s part of the radical extremists of the Democratic Party,” Hikind, who joined the GOP last year, continued. “It’s why so many people are leaving the Democratic Party. It’s why so many people are not going to vote for the Democratic Party, for Biden or anyone else. I am convinced of that, that this will be an historic year in terms of Jews moving away from the Democratic Party, historic. People like Ocasio-Cortez, she contributes to the hate. She makes things more dangerous – really, really sad.” “By the way, I’ve never met antisemites who didn’t say they were against antisemitism,” added Hikind, who founded the organization Americans Against Antisemitism. “And she’s full of it. She’s absolutely full of it.” The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) also reacted to Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks in a statement to Fox News Digital. “AOC’s ‘Squad’ includes the most noxious antisemites in Congress,” wrote Sam Markstein, RJC national political director. “And across the board, Democrats have shamefully refused to hold the Hamas Caucus of their party accountable. It is shocking that the Democratic Party has this much difficulty calling out antisemitism – instead of despicable race-baiting, AOC should focus on fighting bigotry in her own ranks.” For the discussion, the congresswoman brought in two speakers, Stacy Burdett, a Jewish community advocate against antisemitism and bigotry, and Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. At one point, Burdett spoke about the “conspiracy frame” of antisemitic rhetoric, pointing to differences between criticizing Israeli policies or decisions and being antisemitic. She specifically warned viewers that when discussing the Israel-Hamas war, comments that seem to allege “evil control of government policy by Jewish billionaires or Zionist donors” perpetuate dangerous antisemitic stereotypes. ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS OCCUPY ISRAELI CONSULATE IN SAN FRANCISCO BEFORE POLICE ARREST 69 “So, if your criticism of Israel is trafficking stereotypes, you’re really in the bigotry zone,” Burdett said. “I mean, stereotypes kill. That’s how the Nazis got the German people to live with this so-called Final Solution. And so we do the work all the time to avoid words that correlate with negative stereotypes. And we need to do that here. Second, you know, empathy and care and inclusion cannot be limited only to Jews who reject Zionism.” While Burdett warned against using stereotypes dealing with Zionist donors in the discussion hosted by Ocasio-Cortez, the congresswoman herself made an incendiary remark of her own just a day earlier. “Hmm it’s almost like AIPAC functions as a political slush fund for Republican billionaires and should not have influence in the Democratic Party, let alone our primaries,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X on Sunday, referencing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, whose goal is to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and works with members of both parties. Hikind said AIPAC is a “legitimate organization” that follows the law and supports both Democrats and Republicans.
Dems set to bring up next reproductive messaging bill ahead of 2024 elections
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected to bring a Democrat-backed bill designed to federally protect in vitro fertilization (IVF) to the floor for a test vote this week after an unsuccessful attempt to advance a Democrat-backed birth control bill last week. As the days wind down to the 2024 general election, Senate Democrats are emphasizing reproductive rights such as birth control and IVF and saying that Republicans will look to ban those services in addition to abortion if they gain power. The IVF bill, spearheaded by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., will likely face a procedural vote on Thursday, which is expected to fall short of the 60-vote threshold. BALANCE OF POWER: SENATE DEMS MOUNT SWING STATE OFFENSE ON ‘CARPETBAGGER’ CLAIMS The measure previously has been blocked by Republicans, who criticized it for being too expansive and not allowing for certain regulations. Earlier this year, Duckworth sought to bring up her bill for a vote by unanimous consent. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., the chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, objected to the request, saying, “The bill before us today is a vast overreach that is full of poison pills that go way too far.” GOP SHORES UP MICHIGAN EFFORT AS DEMS LOSE SENATE INCUMBENT ADVANTAGE However, Duckworth rejected her Republican colleagues’ criticisms as false at the time. While Schumer is expected to schedule a vote for the Democrat-backed bill, Republicans could seek a vote on their own IVF alternative, which grants room for states to regulate the procedure while prohibiting any outright bans. SCHUMER JUSTIFIES CONGRESSIONAL INVITE TO NETANYAHU AMID LIBERAL OUTRAGE The conservative bill was led by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Katie Britt, R-Ala. The lawmakers have the option of requesting unanimous consent to bring the measure to the floor for a vote, which would likely be objected to by a Democrat. According to a source familiar, all options are being considered by the Republican senators. Last week, the Senate voted, 51-39, against moving forward with a Democrat-supported bill to protect access to contraception federally, with Republicans similarly accusing it of being too broad. Moderate Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, joined their Democrat colleagues on the vote. In the wake of overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, which ended the constitutional right to abortion and gave the states the authority to decide whether to ban or restrict the procedure, Democrats are looking to zero in on abortion and other reproduction-related concerns. The issue is being prioritized by Democrats, particularly those who are at risk in swing states and at a disadvantage when it comes to topics such as the southern border.
Sen. John Fetterman, wife Gisele, involved in car crash in Maryland Sunday morning
Pennsylvania United States Senator John Fetterman and his wife Gisele were involved in an early morning crash Sunday morning in Maryland, according to Fetterman’s office and the Maryland State Police. Police told Fox News Digital that shortly before 8 a.m., on Sunday, troopers from the Maryland State Police Hagerstown Barrack responded to the area of westbound Interstate 70 at Interstate 68, between Pennsylvania and West Virginia, for a report of a two-vehicle crash. According to a preliminary investigation, police said a Chevrolet Traverse and a Chevrolet Impala were both traveling west on I-70 when, for unknown reasons, the Traverse struck the rear of the Impala. Police identified the driver of the Traverse as Senator Fetterman, 54, of Pennsylvania. JOHN FETTERMAN TELLS MAHER THAT NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE ‘FREED’ HIM TO SPEAK OUT, SAYS PROGRESSIVISM ‘LEFT ME’ A passenger in Fetterman’s car and the driver of the Impala were both taken by ambulance to War Memorial Hospital in West Virginia for a medical evaluation. JOHN FETTERMAN TO RECEIVE TOP JEWISH COLLEGE’S HIGHEST AWARD FOR HIS STANCE ON ISRAEL Sen. Fetterman’s office released a statement to Fox News Digital confirming the crash and giving an update on both the senator’s and his wife’s condition. FETTERMAN’S EX-AIDES FUME IN PRIVATE OVER SENATOR’S ‘LOVE’ OF ATTENTION, SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL: REPORT “On Sunday morning, John and Gisele were involved in a car accident with another driver. Out of an abundance of caution, they were evaluated at a local hospital. John was treated for a bruised shoulder and they were discharged that afternoon. They are doing well and happy to be back in Braddock,” a spokesperson for Fetterman’s office said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Police said no citations were issued and that the crash investigation remains active and ongoing.
UN halts food distribution from US-built Gaza pier due to security concerns
The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) is temporarily pausing its food distribution operations from a U.S.-built pier in Gaza after its warehouses were hit by rockets, representing the latest blow to efforts to get humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip from the pier. The U.S. has spent some $320 million building the pier in the Mediterranean Sea to facilitate the delivery of aid into Gaza. But there have been chaotic scenes of hundreds of Palestinians looting aid convoys, and the structure has been battered by choppy weather. Aid arrived at the pier on Saturday with about 492 metric tons being delivered, according to U.S. Central Command. BEFORE AND AFTER: PHOTOS SHOW DESTRUCTION OF BIDEN’S $320M GAZA PIER “To date, USCENTCOM has assisted in the delivery of more than 1,573 metric tons (~3.5 million pounds) of humanitarian aid. No U.S. military personnel went ashore in Gaza,” the agency said in a statement. “This ongoing effort in support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to deliver additional aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza is entirely humanitarian in nature and involves aid commodities donated by several countries and humanitarian organizations.” But on Sunday, Cindy McCain, WFP’s executive director, said the U.N. program was halting distribution due to safety concerns. “Right now, we’re paused because I’m concerned about the safety of our people after the incidents yesterday,” she said on CBS News. McCain said that two warehouses were rocketed on Saturday, “[S]o we’ve stepped back just for the moment to make sure that we’re in – on safe terms and on safe ground before we’ll restart.” She said operations elsewhere are ongoing. “Temporarily pausing operations at floating dock for a UN security assessment to ensure staff & partners’ safety,” the WFP said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. GROWING CONTROVERSY OVER BIDEN’S GAZA PIER FUELS CONCERNS OVER COST, SECURITY The U.N. confirmed that the WFP is “temporarily pausing operations at the floating dock until a thorough assessment of the security situation is conducted to ensure the safety of our staff and our partners.” A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that the pier is still operational and that 1,573 metric tons have been delivered from the pier. The spokesperson also said that U.S. military personnel are not operating in Gaza. Relief agencies have pushed Israel to reopen land routes to bring in aid to Gaza. Israel, however, says it has allowed trucks to enter and says it is the fault of the U.N. as to why the aid hasn’t been distributed. President Biden had announced his plan to build a pier during his State of the Union address in March, and the initial estimate was to get it up and running in 60 days. But the first aid trucks did not arrive at the pier until May 17. Former IDF spokesperson and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Jonathan Conricus told Fox News Digital that “The continued provision of aid to civilians in Gaza is an Israeli priority in order to keep fighting and ultimately defeating Hamas and freeing both Israel and Gaza of this murderous terror regime.” “Hamas continues to intentionally disrupt the provision of aid and continues to attack and loot warehouses, harass aid convoys and steal and sell international aid,” he said. “According to the behavior of various U.N. officials since Oct. 7, I will not hold my breath to hear their condemnation of Hamas’ efforts to obstruct the provision of aid, only to criticize Israel. I urge the WFP and all other international NGOs to resume provision of aid.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Senate Dem doubles down on old Alito complaint as SCOTUS nears Trump immunity ruling
A conservative Supreme Court justice is being accused of impropriety by a Democratic Senate Judiciary Committee member ahead of a long-anticipated and pivotal ruling on former President Trump’s immunity claim. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse has sent a new letter to Justice Samuel Alito, questioning him over an interview he did last year that “raised several problems.” “In that interview, you opined on questions related to Congress’s authority over judicial, and more specifically Supreme Court, ethics concerns,” the three-term Rhode Island Democrat recalled in his June 7 letter. BALANCE OF POWER: SENATE DEMS MOUNT SWING STATE OFFENSE ON ‘CARPETBAGGER’ CLAIMS The latest letter follows correspondence that was recently exchanged between Alito, Whitehouse, Chief Justice John Roberts and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill. The senators wrote to the justices asking for Alito’s recusal from cases related to the 2020 election, including the matter of Trump’s immunity, because of revelations of an upside-down American flag and an “Appeal to Heaven” flag displayed at his homes following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Alito resisted their calls to recuse himself from the cases. GOP SHORES UP MICHIGAN EFFORT AS DEMS LOSE SENATE INCUMBENT ADVANTAGE In the July 2023 op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Alito was interviewed by attorney David Rivkin and WSJ editorial features editor James Taranto. “From the outside, it looks like the attorney recruited you to prop up his legal case against our investigation, using the interview to advance the argument he and several colleagues were making,” Whitehouse accused. He claimed the topics discussed within the interview were designed to hinder the Democratic-controlled Judiciary Committee’s attempt to move forward legislation to enforce a code of conduct on the Supreme Court. SCHUMER JUSTIFIES CONGRESSIONAL INVITE TO NETANYAHU AMID LIBERAL OUTRAGE “I would add that the argument in question had not fared well at the Judiciary Committee’s mark-up of our Supreme Court ethics bill, and your interview supporting the argument appeared within days. The interview seemed both solicited and timed for effect in the ongoing dispute,” the senator said. Whitehouse lodged a complaint with Roberts about the article months later, in which he claimed Alito’s remarks in the article “violate several canons of judicial ethics, including standards the Supreme Court has long applied to itself.” BIDEN ADMIN ACCUSED OF PLAYING POLITICS WITH FLORIDA FUNDING IN PRO-UNION PUSH Whitehouse also pointed the finger at Alito for potential “ex-parte” communication, that is, communication between one interested party in a case and a judge in that case outside official process. Ironically, Whitehouse was recently accused of potentially engaging in ex-parte communications himself, in reference to his various letters to the justices. “These senators are telling the chief justice, privately, to change the course of pending litigation,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said of Whitehouse and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., in a recent floor speech, referring to their demands of Supreme Court justices. The Supreme Court is expected to issue its ruling in Donald J. Trump v. United States before the end of June, answering the question of “whether and if so to what extent does a former president enjoy presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office.”
Former Trump official in crucial battleground Senate race hits back at major endorsement snub
A former Trump official running for Senate in the crucial swing state of Nevada hit back Monday after being snubbed for a major endorsement from his old boss. Dr. Jeffrey Gunter, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Iceland, had hoped to win former President Trump’s backing in his bid to flip Nevada red, but that honor instead went to his primary opponent, former U.S. Army Capt. Sam Brown, late Sunday. Both candidates and their respective supporters close to Trump had battled for weeks behind the scenes to win the former president’s backing. TRUMP ANNOUNCES MAJOR ENDORSEMENT IN CRUCIAL BATTLEGROUND SENATE RACE “Mitch McConnell money wins, the American people lose. Rinse and repeat,” Gunter told Fox News Digital after news of the endorsement broke, a clear swipe at national Republicans who have remained staunchly behind Brown’s candidacy. Gunter later claimed in an early Monday X post that the endorsement came down to a “big check,” something the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) dismissed as an “unglued” attack against Trump. “California Democrat Jeff Gunter became totally unglued after President Trump endorsed war hero Sam Brown. Gunter took to Twitter to falsely smear President Trump and sounds more Adam Schiff than a conservative,” NRSC communications director Mike Berg told Fox. Some close to Trump blasted Gunter for accusing the former president of “pay for play,” calling on him to delete the post. TRUMP ENDORSEMENT IN BATTLEGROUND STATE ANOTHER VICTORY FOR SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CHAIR “Didn’t accuse President Trump of anything. Will always support him 110% His ‘top advisers’ on the other hand, have some explaining to do,” Gunter responded in another post. Fox News Digital interviewed Gunter just hours before Trump announced his endorsement of Brown on Truth Social. He expressed confidence heading into Tuesday’s primary, citing internal polling he said showed him either tied or leading Brown. “Word on the street is we’re doing great, very exciting, and we’re working hard,” Gunter said. “So we’re very optimistic that we will make Nevada great again as the true Trump supporter 110% and MAGA candidate.” Brown’s campaign has also cited internal polls, but they show him with a significant lead over Gunter, who argues he is the only one in the race able to defeat incumbent Democrat Sen. Jacky Rosen in the general election. TRUMP RILES UP FIERY SWING STATE CROWD IN FIRST RALLY SINCE NEW YORK CONVICTION Gunter cited polls showing Rosen leading Brown, but a New York Times poll released last month showed Brown and Rosen tied at 41% each with a number still undecided. Little independent polling has been done on a hypothetical matchup between Gunter and Rosen. “I am the true MAGA candidate… If you like Mitch McConnell, and if you like Nikki Haley, then maybe you’ll like Sam Brown,” Gunter said. “But if you like America First, and if you love Donald Trump – I worked for him. I was his U.S. ambassador, and I’m true to my principles, and, I’m your guy. And that’s why we’re surging so much and doing so well in the great state of Nevada.” Gunter said his experience as an ambassador and doctor, as well as his “loyalty” to Trump, were what undecided voters should consider as they head to the polls. Fox News Digital repeatedly attempted to interview Brown ahead of Tuesday’s primary, but his campaign would not commit to doing so at the time of this article’s publishing. Rosen is expected to easily win her primary on Tuesday, and will likely face either Brown or Gunter in the general election. Republicans view Nevada as one of the party’s top flip opportunities as it seeks to win back control of the Senate from Democrats, who currently hold a slim 51-49 majority. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
‘Apologists for terrorism’: House Republicans eviscerate far-left Dems skipping Netanyahu speech
House Republicans are coming down hard against progressive Democrats threatening to skip Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to a joint session of Congress next month. The high-stakes address, expected July 24, comes as Israel continues its operation in Gaza to eradicate Hamas and rescue hostages taken by the terror group during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed more than 1,000 Israelis. A growing number of Democrats are critical of the Israeli operation, accusing Netanyahu of waging a disproportionate response that’s resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian civilian deaths. Several have already said they would boycott his address in protest – prompting a furious backlash from the House GOP. The No. 3 House GOP leader, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., labeled Democrats “the anti-Israel party” in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Their threats to boycott Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Joint Address is another notch on their long list of betrayals of our strongest ally in the Middle East,” Emmer said. ISRAEL WANTS TO KNOW WHY ‘HAMAS TERRORIST’ ALLEGEDLY WORKED AS AL JAZEERA REPORTER Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Calif., a retired Navy pilot, told Fox News Digital that the speech would only be “a ’controversial’ or ‘counterproductive’ speech” if Israel’s Democratic critics “make it one” “There’s nothing controversial about allowing the elected leader of America’s greatest ally – who’s in the middle of a war against… U.S.-designated terrorists – speak to the Congress that’s funding and supporting Israel’s fight for survival,” Garcia said. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., similarly accused “extreme factions of the Democratic Party” of “turning their backs” on Israel and “disrespecting” its elected leader. Army combat veteran Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., who led the House GOP’s effort to sanction the International Criminal Court for threatening to go after Netanyahu, said of the Democrats’ boycott, “Too bad they don’t seem to care about the six Americans being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza as much as they care about establishing a Palestinian state.” Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., called the would-be boycotters “apologists for terrorism,” adding, “Their refusal to stand with our closest ally in the Middle East emboldens murderers and extremists who seek to destroy democracy and freedom worldwide.” US CONSULATE IN SYDNEY VANDALIZED WITH SUSPECTED ANTI-ISRAEL GRAFFITI Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital, “While Israel fights for its very existence, the United States must display unwavering support for our greatest ally in the Middle East. We cannot let partisan politics get in the way.” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a retired brigadier general, said, “Not showing for Netanyahu’s visit is giving moral support to all the antisemitism we are seeing on college campuses and in our big cities.” The chairman of the House GOP’s campaign arm, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., also weighed in, “Extreme House Democrats are so beholden to the pro-Hamas mobs of their party that they would rather turn their backs on Israel than stand with our greatest Democratic ally in the Middle East.” The issue of Israel and its war on Hamas has had an unprecedented unifying effect on what’s been a House GOP Conference marked by public division for much of this congressional term. On the flip side, it has also served to bring long-simmering Democratic fractures between the old and new left to the surface, prompting spats on social media and elsewhere between progressives and pro-Israel Democrats. BIDEN ADMIN SLAMMED FOR ‘DOUBLING DOWN’ ON ALLEGED GAZA REFUGEE PLANS Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, told Fox News Digital last week that he would be skipping Netanyahu’s speech. “I don’t plan to attend, and I will plan to participate in whatever advocacy is being done to push for Netanyahu and Hamas to agree to a cease-fire,” he said. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., told The Hill, “I won’t attend and turn my back toward him… So I’m just gonna stay away.” And Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said on Saturday, “Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal. He should not be invited to address a joint meeting of Congress. I certainly will not attend.” When asked about the boycott threats from his fellow Democrats, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters last week that he would attend the speech but “all of us recognize that every individual member has to make that decision to participate on their own based on what they believe is consistent with the district that they represent.”
Trump gets warm reception and piles of campaign cash during sunny blue state swing
Former President Trump’s three days in Democrat-dominated California turned out to be lucrative in many ways. When all the money is counted, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee is expected to haul in roughly $27.5 million from three fundraisers he held in California and one in Las Vegas, Nevada, late last week and this past weekend, a senior campaign official told Fox News. And the Trump campaign said an additional $6 million was raised for outside groups supporting his 2024 election rematch with President Biden. But the former president also officially landed the endorsement of a major tech investor at his first fundraiser on Thursday, drew a large crowd of supporters as he arrived at an Orange County fundraiser on Saturday, and bracketed his California swing with rallies Thursday and Sunday in the crucial swing states of Arizona and Nevada. TRUMP ENDORSEMENT IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE ANOTHER VICTORY FOR SENATE GOP CAMPAIGN CHAIR Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes pointed to what he called “massive turnouts at public events and fundraising events this weekend” as he emphasized that “donors at every level are giving us the resources we need, and enthusiastic voters in every corner of the country are creating an unstoppable movement to Make American Great Again.” Thursday’s fundraiser was hosted by David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya, two of the heaviest hitters in Silicon Valley and co-hosts of the hot “All-In” podcast. And it was held at Sacks’ multimillion-dollar home in the tony Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, which is a blue bastion. “When we agreed to do this event, we started off – the question was whether we could just raise $5 million, and that was the goal because as you well know, the Bay Area, is sort of a liberal bastion, and so we thought that $5 million might be a big lift,” Sacks said in an interview on FOX Business’ “Kudlow” on Friday. WHY TRUMP’S SAN FRANCISCO FUNDRAISER WAS FRUITFUL IN MORE THAN ONE WAY But the fundraiser ended up bringing in approximately $12 million, more than doubling initial expectations, according to the Trump campaign. And hours before the event, Sacks endorsed Trump. The former president followed up the San Francisco fundraiser with big bucks finance events Friday in Beverly Hills and Saturday in Newport Beach, where some 3,000 supporters greeted Trump, according to local police. The trip doesn’t mean the Trump campaign thinks overwhelmingly blue California may be in play. Instead, Trump’s appearances – like those of two sold-out fundraisers in the Bay Area on Wednesday headlined by Vice President Harris and Biden’s San Francisco area fundraisers last month – are the latest proof that the Golden State remains a crucial ATM for campaign cash. “Republicans don’t do well in votes, but they do well in money in California,” longtime political analyst Bill Schneider told Fox News. THIS IS HOW MUCH A TOP PRO-TRUMP SUPER PAC HAULED IN LAST MONTH Schneider noted that the late GOP President Ronald Reagan, who lived for decades in the Golden State, “really blazed the trail of fundraising for Republicans in California.” But he added that “both Democrats and Republicans use California for an ATM machine.” Biden returns to California on Saturday, to team up with former President Obama, Hollywood superstars George Clooney and Julia Roberts, and late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, for a star-studded fundraiser in downtown Los Angeles. A top Golden State Republican told Fox News that fundraising not only brings in campaign cash, but that it also sends a message. “In California, there are many voters who seek a change in the White House, and contributing to presidential campaigns is a crucial way for us to make our voices heard beyond the ballot box. This form of participation sends a powerful message to the rest of the country that not all Californians align with the current political climate,” Corrin Rankin, California Republican Party vice chair, said. “California stands as a case study of the failure of Democratic policies, with many residents experiencing firsthand the negative impacts of these policies,” Rankin argued. “As a result, Californians understand better than most the consequences of another four years under Biden’s administration. This has galvanized many to fundraise actively for a better alternative… Our fundraising success here underscores the diverse political landscape of California and the strong desire among many of its citizens for a different direction at the national level.” The cash raised in the past few days will boost already potent Trump fundraising from the past couple of weeks. Trump’s campaign last week said it and the Republican National Committee (RNC), fueled in part by the former president’s guilty verdicts in his criminal trial, hauled in a stunning $141 million in fundraising in May. Trump was found guilty of all 34 felony counts in the first trial of a former or current president in the nation’s history. The former president’s campaign highlighted that in the first 24 hours following the verdict, it and the RNC brought in nearly $53 million in fundraising, which counted toward May’s total. The Biden campaign has also been fundraising off the Trump verdict, and a source familiar told Fox News that “the 24 hours after the verdict were one of the best fundraising 24 hours of the Biden campaign since launch.” Trump has been aiming to close his fundraising gap with Biden. In April, his campaign and the RNC for the first time outraised the Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Fundraising, along with public opinion polling, is a key metric used to measure the strength of candidates and their campaigns. Money raised can be used to build up grassroots outreach and get-out-the-vote operations, staffing, travel and ads, among other things. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
California agrees to repay feds $52M in ‘improperly claimed’ immigrant Medicaid disbursements
The state of California recently agreed to repay more than $52 million in what a federal inspector general determined were “improperly claimed” Medicaid reimbursements for “noncitizens with unsatisfactory immigration status[es].” An audit, concluded in late May but first reported Monday, underlined that federal Medicaid benefits are usually limited only to citizens and “qualified” noncitizens. Examples of qualified noncitizens are refugees, people granted asylum or those lawfully admitted for permanent residence. The audit, conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services under Inspector General Christi Grimm, covered more than $372 million in federal Medicaid reimbursements made on behalf of noncitizens during fiscal year 2019. A total of $52.7 million of that sum was not filed for in accordance with federal requirements. The inspector general in part blamed an outdated calculation metric for the disparity. CLICK HERE FOR MORE STORIES RELATED TO THE CRISIS AT THE BORDER In a statement to Fox News Digital, the California Department of Health Care Services acknowledged the inspector general’s findings. “[DHCS] plans to repay the federal government in full by June 30, 2024,” the statement read. “Additionally, DHCS has worked with the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to develop and implement a more refined service identification methodology with updated payment and claiming processes.” 19 STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL CHALLENGE BLUE STATES’ RADICAL CLIMATE POLICIES IMPACTING OTHERS Grimm’s report noted MediCal – California’s state Medicaid program – casts a wider coverage net than the federal government when it comes to noncitizens. “Although MediCal covers full-scope services for noncitizens with UIS, California may claim federal reimbursement only for emergency services provided to these noncitizens and would generally need to pay for nonemergency services using state funds,” the report said. “According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in May 2020, the California Department of Health Care Services notified CMS that it had been using a longstanding, CMS-approved methodology related to claiming costs for providing full-scope Medi-Cal coverage to noncitizens with UIS… [which] applied a proxy percentage to capitation payments made to Medicaid managed care plans on behalf of noncitizens with UIS.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The federal Medicaid agency first requested an audit, and in May 2020, the state agency told the feds it had erroneously claimed federal reimbursement, according to the report. Illegal immigrants are also ineligible overall for federal “ObamaCare” coverage, according to HealthCare.gov.