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First on Fox: How the migrant crisis overwhelmed DC public schools

First on Fox: How the migrant crisis overwhelmed DC public schools

FIRST ON FOX: Emails between D.C. Public Schools officials are offering a glimpse into the strain placed on schools in Washington, D.C., as the sanctuary city struggles to handle an influx of migrants into the nation’s capital. The emails, obtained by Parents Defending Education via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and shared with Fox News Digital, show a number of challenges facing officials, including finding placements and getting enough bilingual staff. The emails cover 2022 and 2023, just as the numbers were rising at the border, and as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had started busing migrants to “sanctuary” cities across the country — starting with D.C.  BLUE CITY RETHINKING ‘SANCTUARY’ STATUS AMID MIGRANT FLOOD  “As [Language Acquisition Division] continues to support the needs of Migrant Students and the instructional/SEL needs of schools, we are struggling to find available seats/school placements within 45 minutes of the temporary hotel sites,” an April 2023 report says.   “There are pending Enrollment Reserve Requests for the schools that are in process. However, the number of families arriving in DC with children in need of immediate supports has increased more rapidly than anticipated by DHS or the Office of Migrant Services, making the need for the additional enrollment reserve more urgent.” NYC MAYOR RIPPED BY IMMIGRATION ACTIVISTS OVER ‘RACIST’ CLAIM THAT MIGRANTS MAKE ‘EXCELLENT SWIMMERS’ That report shows that multiple grades across multiple schools in the district were full and could not hold additional students. Although the report noted that families are reporting “high levels of satisfaction with all of the school placements.” One email from 2022 shows a DCPS staff member from the Office of Elementary Schools warning that one school had received “an influx of ELL [English Language Learner] students who do not speak English, and the teachers need instructional support with strategies to support our scholars.” Another email is about the “increased challenges with school placement for Migrant Students.” 18 DEMS VOTE IN FAVOR OF GOP-LED BILL CRACKING DOWN ON DC CRIME That email, from Nov. 2022, says that there is an increase of families with multiple children, with 10-12 new students in a single day. “We are now finding that seat availability in all of the grades needed is very challenging,” it says. “While we were trying to keep all siblings in one school, we have had to split up several families as far as school placement (especially for families that have ES and Secondary kiddos).” “I reached out to several principals yesterday about placement of students in grades that are at or beyond capacity,” the official said. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS The email, from the director of Academic Programming for English Learners, describes an urgent need to add classes and staff at one school, including classroom teachers. “We will be back at the Days Inn [where migrants were being housed] next week and expect a similar number of new students.” With the cold temperatures and limited warm weather clothes, having a school option that is closer will be meaningful for the families.” Another email from March 2023, said that the district was expecting another 100 students by the end of the year and asks for how “to facilitate transportation for this District Emergency” as they look for seat availability and how to “proceed when we exceed class capacity.” A chart obtained via the FOIA shows that there were 155 additional migrants in four schools and another 120 projected. A Jan. 2023 email stated that the enrollment reserve for additional staffing had already been depleted. Another chart from February 2023 showed that four schools had 70, 50, 80 and 25 migrant schools enrolled at each school and no additional capacity. While cities hit by the numbers of migrants coming to them blamed the crisis on the buses sent from Texas by Gov. Greg Abbott, Parents Defending Education said it was a consequence of a failure to enforce immigration law. “An obvious consequence of failure to enforce immigration law is that schools will see an influx of high need students, many of whom speak a different language and have little experience with formal schooling,” Erika Sanzi, Director of Outreach for Parents Defending Education, said in a statement.  “It’s an untenable and totally predictable burden that schools are forced to carry — and it is not unique to DC.” D.C. Public Schools did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital, but a spokesperson told Axios in October that approximately 400 students from migrant families were enrolled in schools. It is the latest sign of the ongoing strain facing cities where migrants have arrived in large numbers. In New York City, officials are considering ending the sanctuary policies that have been seen as partly responsible for the woes caused by massive migrant arrivals there.

Democratic Minnesota state senator’s own party calling for her resignation after burglary charge

Democratic Minnesota state senator’s own party calling for her resignation after burglary charge

Democratic Minnesota state Sen. Nicole Mitchell’s own party is calling for her resignation over a month after she was charged with burglary for allegedly breaking into her stepmother’s home to get her late father’s ashes and some of his personal belongings. Ken Martin, chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, said in a statement released on Thursday that “elected officials should be held accountable, including members of our own party.” “While Sen. Mitchell is entitled to her day in court, her continued refusal to take responsibility for her actions is beneath her office and has become a distraction for her district and the Legislature,” Martin said. “Now that her constituents have had full representation through the end of the legislative session, it is time for her to resign to focus on the personal and legal challenges she faces.” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, also said last week that Mitchell should resign, FOX9 Minneapolis reported. 911 CALL TRANSCRIPT DETAILS DEMOCRATIC MINNESOTA STATE SENATOR’S ALLEGED BURGLARY AT STEPMOTHER’S HOME Mitchell was removed from committee assignments and caucus meetings after she was arrested at her stepmother’s home on April 22. The state senator was later charged with first-degree burglary. Mitchell has denied the allegations and claimed that she was merely checking on an ill loved one. According to a criminal complaint, Mitchell acknowledged that she entered through a window and told investigators she was trying to get her late father’s ashes, photos, a flannel shirt and other items of sentimental value, claiming her stepmother had stopped speaking to her after her father’s death and refused to give her the items. DEMOCRATIC MINNESOTA STATE SENATOR CLAIMS SHE WAS CHECKING IN ON ILL LOVED ONE DURING ALLEGED BURGLARY Mitchell appeared in front of an ethics panel on May 7, but invoked her Fifth Amendment rights and refused to speak.  Republican lawmakers in Minnesota had called for Mitchell’s resignation shortly after her arrest. Mitchell’s next court hearing is set for June 10. Mitchell, of Woodbury, Minnesota, has represented District 47 since she was elected to the state Senate in 2022. She was previously a meteorologist for KSTP-TV and Minnesota Public Radio and serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.

Biden issues permit to expand, maintain border crossings across Texas

Biden issues permit to expand, maintain border crossings across Texas

President Biden issued permits to several Texas cities on Monday allowing them to “expand and continue to maintain” their border crossings. Biden’s order impacts the Texas cities of Laredo, Eagle Pass and Brownsville. The border crossings include the bridges that span the Rio Grande, allowing vehicular and pedestrian traffic to cross to and from the U.S. and Mexico. The permits are a preview of Biden’s plans for the border as he is expected to issue a series of executive orders on the issue this week. Details of what will be announced remain unclear. Some outlets reported that it could involve a mechanism to prevent additional migrant entries into the U.S. once there is a rolling seven-day average of more than 4,000 apprehensions a day. MAYORKAS SAYS SOME MIGRANTS ‘TRY TO GAME’ ASYLUM SYSTEM, AS BORDER REMAINS TOP POLITICAL ISSUE That plan would likely be similar to the one proposed in a sweeping bipartisan Senate bill that was unveiled earlier this year. The bill has backing from the Biden administration but has so far failed to drum up enough support to pass. The legislation would create a Title-42 style expulsion authority that would allow agents to quickly remove migrants across the border.  CHINESE, JORDANIAN, TURKISH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT IN LARGE NUMBERS AT SOUTHERN BORDER Biden could attempt to implement such an authority by executive order using 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows presidents to limit the entry of foreign nationals into the U.S. The Biden administration has repeatedly said its hands are largely tied regarding fixing what it admits is a “broken” immigration system. The White House has called for additional reforms and funding from Congress. Republicans have blamed the policies of the administration, including the rollback of Trump-era policies such as wall construction, the Migrant Protection Protocols and increased interior enforcement. They have passed their own legislation in the House that would significantly limit asylum claims and restart border wall construction and similar measures. It has not yet been taken up by the Senate. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on “Fox News Sunday” said the reported action from Biden is “too little too late.” Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report

Conservative firebrand spotlights Trump conviction in attack ad on vulnerable Dem senator

Conservative firebrand spotlights Trump conviction in attack ad on vulnerable Dem senator

Republicans are capitalizing on the polarizing conviction of former President Trump in his criminal trial. As they aim to win back the Senate majority in November’s elections, the GOP is going on offense in reliably red state Montana, where Democratic Sen. Jon Tester is fighting for his political life. Tim Sheehy, the overwhelming frontrunner for the Republican nomination in Tuesday’s primary in Montana, is launching an ad this week that charges “Jon Tester supported Joe Biden’s witch hunt.” It is the first spot in a crucial Senate race to highlight the verdict in Trump’s trial. TRUMP UNLEASHED FOLLOWING GUILTY VERDICT IN CRIMINAL TRIAL Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, was found guilty by a New York City jury Thursday of all 34 felony counts in his case, the first in which a former or current president stood trial. TRUMP TURNS CONVICTIONS INTO CASH FOLLOWING GUILTY VERDICTS The former president repeatedly argued that the case was a “sham” and “rigged” and claimed that it was “prosecuted directly from the inner halls of the White House and DOJ.” The narrator in the ad by Sheehy, a successful businessman and former Navy SEAL, charges that it was “state-sponsored political persecution led by Joe Biden and the radical left. They want to throw Trump in jail.” “Tester’s even advocated for violence against President Trump,” the narrator says, as the commercial includes a clip from an old MSNBC interview when the senator said someone needs to “punch” Trump “in the face.” News of the ad was first reported by Politico. Trump has endorsed Sheehy, who is also heavily backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign arm of the Senate GOP. The commercial is the latest entry in the Montana Senate race’s multimillion-dollar ad wars. Additionally, a GOP strategist who works in Senate races says it is “a sign of Republicans going on offense following the Trump verdict,” especially in red states like Montana and Ohio, where Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is also being heavily targeted by the GOP. Tester spokesperson Monica Robinson, responding to the spot, argued in a statement that Sheehy “is trying to cover up the fact that he’s an out-of-state multimillionaire who has been caught lying about every part of his life and is running for Senate to benefit himself, not Montana. Jon will continue running on his record of always fighting for what’s best for Montana — including getting more than 20 bills signed into law by President Trump.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Pro-life group urges GOP to avoid ‘ostrich strategy,’ target Dems for wanting ‘global abortion factory’

Pro-life group urges GOP to avoid ‘ostrich strategy,’ target Dems for wanting ‘global abortion factory’

Prominent pro-life organization Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America is urging Republican candidates not to stick their heads in the sand ahead of the 2024 elections, but rather paint Democrats as unpopular on abortion. Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturned nearly 50 years of precedent that effectively legalized abortion, Democrats have attributed political wins to the unpopularity of pro-life causes. But SBA said in a memo, sent to Republican leaders and committees Monday, that Democrats’ message is more fearmongering than fact, and it wants GOP candidates to emphasize that Democrats want to place America “on a short list of the most pro-abortion countries in the world.” HERE ARE THE TOP 4 MOMENTS FROM THE 2024 MARCH FOR LIFE “There are no protections for the unborn that Democrats can bring themselves to support, and they are consistently on the record opposing the protection of unborn babies when they can feel pain, even legislation to provide basic health care for a baby born alive after a failed abortion,” the SBA memo says. Working with a pollster and former adviser to Trump, SBA says a winning message for Republican candidates involves stressing support for mothers at all stages of pregnancy and childbirth.  “The message that performed the strongest in moving voters is driving a strong contrast between Democrat support for the so-called Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) and GOP support for providing real options and support for mothers in need and opposition to the WHPA,” SBA wrote. The research was conducted by Adam Schaeffer of Evolving Strategies, a behavioral science and political data firm. The WHPA passed the House in 2022, but failed in the Senate. Billed as a codification of Roe v. Wade, the measure goes beyond enshrining the 1973 abortion ruling and effectively would make it impossible to restrict abortion at any stage, according to SBA.  “In our test, the WHPA was characterized as sweeping federal legislation that would wipe away nearly all state limitations on abortion, even those that limit late-term abortions on healthy babies and ensure parental involvement when a young girl becomes pregnant,” the SBA memo said.  The other part of the “winning” message involved support for pregnant women and help for mothers – including expanding child tax credits. “GOP support for mothers in need was characterized in our testing as offering women real options to choose life and embracing policies that would streamline adoption services, increase the child tax credit, make baby items tax-free, and provide funding to pregnancy care centers and maternity homes. Further, women should be informed about the financial help and adoption services available so she can make an educated choice,” the SBA memo said. PRO-LIFE CONSERVATIVES ARE ‘DISAPPOINTED’ IN TRUMP’S NEW ABORTION POLICY, BUT STICK BY HIM: ‘ONLY ONE OPTION’ SBA said it is committed to delivering its message to key presidential and congressional battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and Montana. But without individual candidates joining the messaging, SBA indicated that Democrats would continue to see success in their spreading “falsehoods and fearmongering” in favor of abortion access. “Most importantly, candidates themselves must draw this contrast and put money behind it. The ‘ostrich strategy’ from 2022 of candidates putting their heads in the sand cannot be repeated. This is urgent for GOP Senate candidates, who continue to trail across key races despite President Trump holding a consistent lead at the top of the ticket across those same states,” SBA’s memo states. Trump has ruffled feathers in the pro-life movement for his approach to abortion following the Dobbs decision. He criticized Florida’s restriction on abortion in most cases after six weeks of pregnancy as cruel, but has indicated he would consider a national ban on abortion at 15 weeks.  He has also said abortion restrictions should be a state issue, pushing back on calls for a nationwide protection of life bill, but in numerous rallies and speeches has criticized Democrats for wanting abortion to be legal up to and after birth. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Democrats and their abortion industry allies will not stop until America becomes a global abortion factory where women are forced into abortion and find few options when choosing life,” SBA said. “If this happens it will put the pro-life movement in an even worse position than it faced under the Roe regime. We must unite and stop them before it is too late.”