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GOP bill looks to stop DHS from grounding air marshals at southern border

FIRST ON FOX: Republicans are introducing legislation to prevent the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from deploying federal air marshals to the southern border to help with the ongoing crisis at the southern border. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, has introduced the No FAMS At The Border Act. The bill, which was introduced with Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, would block federal air marshals from being deployed to the southern and northern borders unless the Biden administration certifies to Congress that there is a crisis at the border. It is companion legislation to a bill introduced in the Senate by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who has previously grilled officials on the deployment of marshals to the border. CRUZ DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM TSA OVER ‘CONCERNING’ DEPLOYMENT OF AIR MARSHALS TO SOUTHERN BORDER Air marshals have been deployed to the border on multiple occasions, including in 2019 and in 2021. Marshals in 2021 were initially sought to go to the border on a voluntary basis, but it later changed to mandatory deployments. The move was controversial, sparking what was described as a “mutiny” from marshals. At the time, it was reported that deployments would leave just 1-in-100 flights with agents on board, one-eighth of its normal coverage. During the peak of the crisis, a number of law enforcement agencies were deployed to the border, sparking criticism about the usefulness of the deployments, where often highly trained employees were processing and conducting welfare checks. DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the legislation, but officials have noted that marshals were deployed to the border during the Trump administration, and have also been deployed to support the U.N. General Assembly and hurricane recovery, among other missions. Officials have said that any such deployment, which is on a reimbursable basis, is temporary and that air marshals will continue to support the agency’s critical mission on the ground and onboard aircraft. AIR MARSHALS FACING MANDATORY BORDER DEPLOYMENT PLAN ‘MUTINY’ ON BIDEN ADMIN LEAVING FLIGHTS UNGUARDED: REPORT Hinson, in a statement, called the deployments to the border “unjustifiable” and said they left a “concerning void in our aviation security.” “Our bill will prevent Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas from dodging accountability, perpetuating the border crisis, and making Americans less safe not only in their daily lives but on flights, too,” she said. Pfluger called the deployments a “concerning trend” and that it jeopardizes flight security, urging the administration to “enforce the laws already on the books to end the crisis at the border instead of diverting essential security officials away from their crucial roles.” The bill also has the support of the Air Marshal National Council (AMNC). “On behalf of Federal Air Marshals nationwide, the Air Marshal National Council strongly supports Rep. Hinson’s legislation to prohibit the ongoing deployment of Air Marshals to our border,” David Londo, president of the AMNC, said in a statement. “It is time to put the American people we’re proud to protect and serve first, and get Air Marshals back in the air, especially during this time of increased threats to our homeland.”  The bill comes at a time when Republicans are feuding with the administration over how to handle the ongoing crisis. Republicans have said that the Biden administration needs to change its policies and can fix the crisis. The administration, however, says it needs more funding from Congress and comprehensive immigration reform, as it is working within a “broken” immigration system. President Biden recently renewed his calls for Congress to pass a bipartisan Senate deal to increase resources and staffing on the border. However, it has been rejected by conservatives who say it does not go far enough in lowering releases into the interior. The House passed a sweeping Republican signature border bill last year, but that has failed to win over the support of the administration, who has said the bill would make things worse, not better, and “trample on the Nation’s core values and international obligations.” 

Democrat Rep. Jeff Jackson apologizes on TikTok for voting to ban app: ‘I screwed this up’

Democratic Rep. Jeff Jackson posted a video to TikTok apologizing for his vote that could help ban the Chinese-owned app from the U.S. “I screwed this up, I did,” Jackson, who is running for North Carolina attorney general, said in the video over the weekend. “And the reason I voted for it was because I genuinely believe the chance of a ban is practically zero for a lot of reasons – financial, political, geopolitical – I just don’t think there’s any real chance of a ban. I still believe that, but maybe I got that balance wrong.” “I apologize, and I will keep you posted,” the freshman congressman said. GOP LAWMAKERS PRESS TIKTOK CEO ON ‘DELUGE OF PRO-HAMAS CONTENT’ ON PLATFORM Jackson, who has 2.3 million TikTok followers, said he’s been “completely roasted” on the app ever since his vote.  “If I were in your shoes, I would probably feel the same way,” he said. “I would see someone who used this app to build a following, and then appears to have voted against it. And I would be upset.” In the video, Jackson said he liked TikTok as a means to connect with people, but that there were “genuinely alarming” briefings about the app in Congress. Jackson said he thought the House bill would force the sale of TikTok to a U.S. company, not result in a full ban. Both Democrats and Republicans supported the bill, which passed the House by a 352-65 vote last week.  HOUSE PASSES BILL THAT COULD SEE TIKTOK BANNED IN US The bill, led by House China Select Committee Chair Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., and ranking member Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., would block TikTok in the U.S. if its parent company, Bytedance, does not divest from it within 165 days of passage. It would also require it to be bought by a country that is not a U.S. adversary. TikTok’s critics have long called it a national security threat. They have cited concerns about the Chinese government’s ability to leverage its power over Bytedance to access sensitive user data, even in the U.S., something the company has denied.  JOHNSON SAYS HOUSE WILL ‘APPLY EVERY AMOUNT OF PRESSURE’ TO SENATE TO PASS TIKTOK BILL Last week, Jackson uploaded a TikTok video saying the Chinese Communist Party “can tweak the algorithm in ways that may be helpful to them, and harmful to us,” which is why the bill got overwhelming support in Congress, he said. China hawks have also warned that the app’s popularity among young Americans gives the ruling Chinese Communist Party a platform for a mass influence campaign. It’s unclear when the Senate will take up the legislation, but several senators have already signaled they support the divestment of the social media app.  Fox News Digital reached out to Jackson’s office for further comment. Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

Gaza has become the ‘greatest open-air graveyard’

NewsFeed The EU’s Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell says that Gaza has become a ‘graveyard for the many of the most important principles of humanitarian law’, at a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels. Published On 18 Mar 202418 Mar 2024 Adblock test (Why?)

No evidence of brain injury in people suffering ‘Havana Syndrome’: US study

US research agency finds no ‘biological abnormalities’ in US officials reporting incidents, but says symptoms are real. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States has found no evidence that government employees reporting symptoms of the “Havana Syndrome” suffer from “biological abnormalities”, including brain injury. In a statement announcing its study on Monday, the US medical research agency stressed that, despite its findings, the unexplained ailments “are very real”. First reported in the Cuban capital Havana in 2016, the syndrome results in vertigo, headaches, cognitive dysfunction and ear-ringing. Since then, US foreign service and intelligence personnel have reported enduring such symptoms across the world. “Using advanced imaging techniques and in-depth clinical assessments, a research team at the National Institutes of Health found no significant evidence of MRI-detectable brain injury, nor differences in most clinical measures compared to controls, among a group of federal employees who experienced anomalous health incidents (AHIs),” the NIH said in a statement on Monday. The study compared test results and MRI imaging between healthy volunteers and more than 80 US government employees and their relatives who are experiencing “anomalous health incidents”. “The researchers were unable to identify a consistent set of imaging abnormalities that might differentiate participants with AHIs from controls,” the NIH said. The administration of US President Joe Biden had vowed to work “tirelessly” to tackle Havana Syndrome. In November 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken appointed two officials to lead the government’s response to the issue, calling it an “urgent priority” for Washington. Earlier that year, possible “Havana Syndrome” cases at the US embassy in Hanoi led to Vice President Kamala Harris delaying a visit to Vietnam by three hours. There had been early speculations that the symptoms may be caused by microwaves deliberately targeting US officials abroad. But several US intelligence agencies concluded last year that it was “very unlikely” that a foreign adversary was responsible for Havana Syndrome. Their findings were released in a report by the National Intelligence Council. Still, US officials have sought to acknowledge that those reporting symptoms are indeed suffering from ailments. Carlo Pierpaoli, a lead author on the NIH study, said lack of evidence of difference in neurological imaging between healthy individuals and those experiencing AHIs “does not exclude that an adverse event impacting the brain occurred” in people with Havana Syndrome symptoms. “It is possible that individuals with an AHI may be experiencing the results of an event that led to their symptoms, but the injury did not produce the long-term neuroimaging changes that are typically observed after severe trauma or stroke,” Pierpaoli said in a statement. “We hope these results will alleviate concerns about AHI being associated with severe neurodegenerative changes in the brain.” Adblock test (Why?)

India bank ordered to share electoral bonds data linking donors, recipients

The Supreme Court gives the government-run State Bank of India until Thursday to disclose all the information. India’s Supreme Court has ordered the State Bank of India (SBI) to submit all the details of electoral bonds, including the unique codes linking donors to political parties, just a month before the country’s general election. The seven-year-old election funding system, called “electoral bonds”, allowed individuals and companies in India to donate money to political parties anonymously and without any limits. In February, the top court scrapped the opaque system, calling it “unconstitutional”. In its order on Monday, the Supreme Court gave the SBI until Thursday to provide the Election Commission of India with the unique identification numbers of the bonds, so as to allow donors to be matched with recipients. “You have to disclose all details … we must have finality to it,” Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said. Last week, the commission made public some data on donations made since April 2019 under the funding mechanism. Some of India’s biggest companies, such as Vedanta Ltd, Bharti Airtel, RPSG Group and Essel Mining, were among the top political funders over the last five years, the data showed. But last week’s data did not link donors to recipients, though it showed that nearly half of all donations were received by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will seek a rare third term in the seven-phase election that starts April 19. Corporate funding of political parties is a sensitive issue in India. Critics say the electoral bonds helped companies hide their donations to avoid any accusations of winning favours from India’s ruling BJP party. On Sunday, Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the main opposition Congress Party, addressed a rally in Mumbai where he accused Modi’s government of using electoral bonds to extort money from companies, an accusation the government has denied. Meanwhile, three industry bodies – the Confederation of Indian Industry; the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry; and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) – sought to stop the court from making public information about who donated to which party. “Protection of anonymity is critical for preserving donors’ privacy and guarding against any adversity by any opposing political factions to whom the investment is not made by a corporate,” ASSOCHAM said. The court, however, did not hear their pleas. Adblock test (Why?)

Americans aren’t buying Biden’s ‘devout Catholic’ label, poll finds

A large majority of Americans are not convinced by President Biden’s presentation of himself as a “devout Catholic,” according to a new poll from Pew Research. The poll, conducted in late February, found that just 13% of Americans think of Biden as “very religious,” while 41% say he is “somewhat religious” and another 44% say he is “not at all” or “not too religious.” The polling comes despite Biden’s own description of himself as a “devout Catholic” who attends church regularly. The White House has also used the term to describe Biden when defending his aggressive pro-choice stance on abortion. Biden has had a fractious relationship with the Catholic Church since gaining office, with Pope Francis criticizing his views on abortion in July 2021. Francis argued that Biden’s faith and pro-choice views were a display of “incoherence.” OBAMA BALKED AT BIDEN’S ASSERTION THAT RUSSIA SHOULD ‘PAY IN BLOOD AND MONEY’ AFTER 2014 INVASION: BOOK The pair met in person later that year, however, and Biden says Francis encouraged him to continue receiving Communion. BIDEN PRIVATELY DEFIANT THAT HE DIDN’T BOTCH AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL: BOOK Former President Trump has sought to capitalize on the friction between Biden’s faith and his stance on abortion, telling a campaign crowd on Saturday that Catholics would be “crazy” to vote for him. While Trump himself has paid lip service to Protestant and Catholic Americans, he has not suggested that he is a man of devout faith himself. That reflects Pew’s findings in the February poll. BIDEN’S BOTCHED AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL HAUNTS 2024 ELECTION AS BOOK CLAIMS ‘13 AMERICANS NEVER HAD TO DIE’ Just 4% of Americans said they believed Trump is “very religious,” while 25% said he is “somewhat religious.” Meanwhile, 68% of Americans said Trump is “not too religious” or “not at all religious.”

Gaetz leads push for Biden to take ‘immediate’ action on feared Haitian migrant crisis

FIRST ON FOX: Florida lawmakers, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz, are calling for an “immediate” response from President Biden over concerns about a potential mass migration of Haitians coming to the country via boats — days after the state’s governor surged personnel and aircraft to the coast. The lawmakers, including Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Anna Paulina Luna and Daniel Webster, have written to Biden calling on him to exercise his authority to declare an “anticipated mass migration of aliens en route to, or arriving off the coast of, the United States.” The lawmakers say that urgent circumstances require an “immediate federal response.” DESANTIS DETAILS ALARMING FIND ABOARD HAITIAN MIGRANT BOAT SEIZED OFF FLORIDA COAST The Caribbean nation has seen a significant escalation in violence as gangs have overrun the capital, burning police stations and attacking the main airport. Gangs have also raided some of the largest prisons, releasing thousands of inmates. It has renewed concerns that a wave of migration from the sea could soon follow. Last week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced an increase of personnel and aircraft to the Florida coast in light of unrest in Haiti. The deployment in Florida includes 48 additional National Guardsmen with four additional helicopters, 39 officers from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, 30 additional Florida Highway Patrol officers with aircraft and drones, and 23 additional officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission with eight additional seacraft, his office said. DESANTIS SENDS SOLDIERS, AIRCRAFT TO ‘PROTECT’ FLORIDA FROM ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BOATS AMID HAITI UNREST Government officials have stressed that they have so far not seen that mass migration. On Tuesday, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs Rebecca Zimmerman told lawmakers that the Pentagon is “alert” to the possibility of a mass migration event, but it has also not yet seen large numbers. “I think you’re right that the driving conditions in Haiti could very well press more people,” she told Gaetz in a House hearing. “We recently approved some additional assistance we could provide to the Coast Guard.” Separately, officials said they have made requests for increased capability to be “postured appropriately.” In their letter, the lawmakers argue that they believe resources “are insufficient to address the scope and scale of the anticipated mass migration” and highlight a 2002 order by former President George W. Bush which sought to combat illegal immigrants stopped in the Caribbean. HAITIAN PRIME MINISTER ARIEL HENRY TO RESIGN AMID LOW-SCALE CIVIL WAR, BOWING TO INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE  “A declaration pursuant to Executive Order 13276 is necessary to reinforce the State of Florida’s efforts by utilizing Department of Defense vessels to conduct maritime interdictions and interceptions of aliens from Haiti and repatriate them, preferably to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as this limits the financial obligation of U.S. taxpayers,” they say. CLICK HERE FOR MORE POLITICS COVERAGE The Department of Homeland Security said last week that it is monitoring the situation, but it has stressed that migration flows in the Caribbean remain “low.” It also warned that those crossing face being turned back to their country of origin. “U.S. policy is to return noncitizens who do not have a fear of persecution or torture or a legal basis to enter the United States. Those interdicted at sea are subject to immediate repatriation pursuant to our longstanding policy and procedures. The United States returns or repatriates migrants interdicted at sea to The Bahamas, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.” According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 65 migrants were repatriated on Tuesday after the agency stopped a boat near the Bahamas. So far, the Coast Guard has repatriated 131 migrants this fiscal year.  However, it has not quelled concerns from Florida lawmakers. Florida Republican Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio also wrote to Biden last week seeking answers from the White House regarding any plan “to deal with the significant unrest in Haiti and prevent this humanitarian and security crisis from having a direct negative impact on American families in Florida and across the United States.”

New Mexico county commissioner who participated in Jan 6 riot loses Supreme Court appeal

A former New Mexico county commissioner who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Hill riot will not be able to run for future office, following a Supreme Court decision on Monday. The rejected appeal by former Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin leaves him the only elected official thus far to be banned from office in connection with the Capitol attack, which disrupted Congress as it was trying to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory over then-President Trump. Though the Supreme Court ruled this month that states do not have the ability to bar Trump or other candidates for federal offices from the ballot, the justices said different rules apply to state and local candidates. “We conclude that States may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office,” the justices wrote in an unsigned opinion. NEW MEXICO JUDGE REMOVES COUNTY COMMISSIONER FROM OFFICE FOR PARTICIPATION IN JAN 6 RIOT Griffin was kicked out of office in September 2022 over his participation in the Jan. 6 riot following a ruling from New Mexico State District Court Judge Francis Mathew that permanently prohibits him from running for local or federal office. The judge ruled that Griffin participated in an “insurrection after taking his oath” at the U.S. Capitol and that he violated Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. PETER NAVARRO, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE ADVISER, FILES EMERGENCY REQUEST WITH SCOTUS Griffin was previously convicted in federal court of a misdemeanor for entering the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6. He was sentenced to 14 days and given credit for time served. Griffin contends that he entered the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6 without recognizing that it had been designated as a restricted area and that he attempted to lead a crowd in prayer using a bullhorn, without engaging in violence. GOP REPORT CONTRADICTS JAN 6 COMMITTEE’S WITNESS ALLEGING TRUMP TRIED TO GRAB SUV STEERING WHEEL On the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack, Griffin cast himself as the victim of political persecution as he spoke to a gathering in the rural community of Gillette, Wyoming, at the invitation of the county Republican Party. “God is really allowing me to experience some amazing days,” Griffin said, according to The Associated Press. “Jan. 6 was a day like no other. It was a day where a type of patriotism was expressed that I’d never seen before, and I was honored to be there.” Griffin is a cowboy pastor who rode to national political fame by embracing then-President Trump with a series of horseback caravans. Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Trump unable to get $464M appeal bond to stop collection, attorneys say: ‘Practical impossibility’

Former President Trump has not been able to secure a $464 million appeal bond he needs following a New York civil fraud judgment against him, his attorneys say. In a court filing Monday, his lawyers said obtaining one is a “practical impossibility under the circumstances presented.” This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Biden to speak with Netanyahu as US-Israel tensions escalate over direction of Hamas war

President Biden is set to speak Monday morning with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a source has confirmed to Fox News, as tensions between the U.S. and Israel are escalating over the direction of the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.  The scheduled meeting – which would be the first call since Feb. 15 – comes after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered a speech Thursday calling for Netanyahu’s ouster and labeling him an “obstacle to peace.” The next day, Biden described Schumer’s remarks as a “good speech” that “expressed serious concern shared not only by him, but by many Americans.”  Netanyahu then issued a sharp rebuttal to Schumer on Sunday, saying during an interview on “Fox & Friends Weekend” that his comments on the Senate floor were “wholly inappropriate.”  “I think we’re not a banana republic. The people of Israel will choose when they’ll have elections, who they elect, and it’s not something that will be foisted upon us,” Netanyahu added.  NETANYAHU BLASTS SCHUMER, BIDEN OVER WANING SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL  The majority leader had said he believed that “Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take the precedence over the best interests of Israel.”  “It’s wrong to try to replace the elected leaders of a sister democracy and a staunch American ally at any time, but especially during the time of war,” Netanyahu countered.  KIRBY DODGES ANSWERING POINT BLANK IF BIDEN BELIEVES NETANYAHU IMPEDES PEACE  White House national security communications adviser John Kirby brushed off questioning Sunday regarding whether Biden believes Netanyahu is an “impediment to peace,” saying the two world leaders have “known each other a long time” and have an open line of communication.  “Does the president think that Benjamin Netanyahu is a bigot? That he’s an impediment to peace? That he should be lumped in with Hamas?” Fox News’ Shannon Bream asked Kirby on “Fox News Sunday.”  Kirby did not explicitly answer, instead highlighting that the two world leaders have long known each other and that the U.S. respects Israel’s sovereignty.   “These are two men, leaders that have known each other a long time, Shannon, and they don’t agree on everything – haven’t over 40 years. And there are certain aspects to the prosecution of operations in Gaza, where we obviously don’t agree with everything that Israel has done. But they have a relationship where they can talk to one another, and they do, and they will again. He is the prime minister of Israel. We respect the sovereignty of the Israeli people,” he responded.  Fox News’ Patrick Ward, Madeline Coggins and Emma Colton contributed to this report.