Veteran State Board of Education member loses her seat, two other Republican incumbents face runoffs
The results of Tuesday’s primary elections could foreshadow a further push to the right for the body that sets the state’s educational standards.
Louisiana Gov. Landry issues disaster declaration amid crawfish shortage
Amid a crawfish shortage in Louisiana, the nation’s top producer of the crustaceans that are a staple in Gulf Coast seafood boils, Gov. Jeff Landry issued a disaster declaration for the impacted industry Wednesday. Last year’s drought, extreme heat, saltwater intrusion on the Mississippi River and a hard winter freeze in the Bayou State have devastated this year’s crawfish harvest and led to significant price hikes for those purchasing “mudbugs.” Landry says the shortage is not only affecting Louisiana’s economy but also “our way of life.” “All 365,000 crawfish acres in Louisiana have been affected by these conditions,” Landry said in a written statement Wednesday. “That is why I am issuing a disaster declaration. The crawfish industry needs all the support it can get right now.” LOUISIANA GOV. LANDRY DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER POLICE SHORTAGE Landry’s disaster declaration, which is the legal underpinning that assists in securing federal resources, comes shortly after a request from Louisiana’s congressional delegation seeking to unlock federal aid to help farmers back in their home state. During a typical year, Louisiana generates anywhere from 175 million to 200 million pounds of crawfish — contributing $500 million to the state’s economy annually, according to the governor’s office. However, amid severe drought in 2023 and extreme heat, typically one of the wettest states in the country saw some of its driest conditions. As a result, the weather dried out the soil where crawfish burrow to lay eggs. The Louisiana State University’s Agriculture Center estimates the potential losses to the state’s crawfish industry to be nearly $140 million. “Louisiana’s crawfish industry is more than an economic driver for our state — it is a deep part of our cultural heritage,” said Mike Strain, commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. Crawfish, which have been harvested commercially in the state since at least the 1800s, are usually plentiful in Louisiana during the late winter and through the spring. The tail meat, fresh or frozen, of the tiny lobster-like crustaceans are used in a variety of dishes, including crawfish etouffee, gumbos and po-boys. But the most popular way to serve them is boiled with corn and potatoes and a variety of seasonings. Crawfish boils, which see pounds of the freshly cooked crustaceans poured onto communal tables, are popular during Carnival season and during Lent, when many in heavily Catholic south Louisiana seek alternatives to meat. However, this year Strain said some Mardi Gras celebrations continued without chowing down on crawfish, which were scarce and unaffordable for many. Around this time last year, the cost for a pound of boiled crawfish was between $3 to $5. Now, restaurants across the state are selling them for $10 to $12 per pound, as reported by The Advocate. In a letter last week to United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Strain said: “For the first time in many years, due to sustained drought in 2023 and freezing temperatures in early 2024, crawfish are simply unavailable.”
School voucher supporters bask in primary wins, say goals are within reach
Gov. Greg Abbott called the results “an unmistakable message.” His allies said the state is “closer than ever” to a voucher program.
Trump campaign rejects effort to have RNC foot former president’s legal bills: ‘Hard no’
FIRST ON FOX: Former President Donald Trump’s campaign is making it clear that the Republican National Committee (RNC) will not be covering a penny of the legal fees associated with his four pending criminal cases or other civil cases. Speaking with Fox News Digital on Wednesday just hours after Nikki Haley ended her presidential bid, officially making Trump the presumptive nominee, a spokesman for the former president’s campaign said the RNC would “absolutely not” be providing any of its funds to alleviate his legal costs. “Hard no. Absolutely not. Asked and answered,” the spokesperson said. TRUMP DOMINATING, HALEY WINNING HER FIRST STATE ROUND OUT TOP MOMENTS FROM SUPER TUESDAY A report published by CNBC earlier in the day said there was a growing number of RNC committee members believing the organization should help pay Trump’s legal bills, and, according to one committee member, they represented “more than a majority” of those on the committee. A proposed resolution to prohibit any funds being used on Trump’s legal defense failed to garner enough support to be considered at the RNC’s upcoming spring meeting in Houston this week, where the organization’s current chair, Ronna McDaniel, is expected to step down from her role. McDaniel’s resignation comes after the RNC began the election year facing a shortage of cash compared to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which held nearly three times the cash-on-hand reported by the former in its filings with the Federal Election Commission. LARA TRUMP, OUT WITH NEW KIDS BOOK, STRESSES NEED TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR AMERICA AND BEDROCK VALUES Last month, Trump endorsed Michael Whatley, the current chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, to replace McDaniel, as well as his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to be co-chair, and senior campaign advisor Chris LaCivita to be chief operating officer. None have expressed plans, or even a desire, for the RNC to cover Trump’s legal costs should they be elected by members of the committee to those respective roles, and Lara Trump said following her father-in-law’s endorsement, that “every single penny” of RNC funds should go to ensuring he is elected president in November. The narrative that Trump would rely on the RNC to cover his legal expenses appears to have originated with Haley following Trump’s endorsement of McDaniel’s potential successors, when she told CNN during an interview that he planned to make the organization his personal “piggy bank.” DEMS MOCK RNC FOR ‘DESPERATE’ FUNDRAISING DRIVE THAT INCLUDES STARK ADMISSION ON DNC’S MONEY ADVANTAGE A number of liberal media organizations reported last month that Lara Trump, during a campaign stop in South Carolina in support of her father-in-law, said she believed Republican voters would “absolutely” be okay with contributions going toward those bills. However, she stated she was not familiar with the RNC’s rules on paying such costs, and appeared to be referencing Republicans in general supporting Trump financially, rather than the RNC. It’s unclear, however, how Trump’s fundraising apparatus might continue to cover his legal costs after it shelled out nearly $50 million to pay them last year, according to FEC filings, or how that massive outflow, combined with the RNC’s money woes, could affect the former president’s path to winning in November. The $50 million spent by Trump’s fundraising entities on his legal defense last year goes up to north of $90 million if spending in 2022 and 2021 is included. Combining that with Trump’s fundraising costs — which reach nearly half of the $282 million he’s raised — his cash burn rate amounts to a whopping 81%, leaving him just $0.19 per dollar raised. TEXAS DEMOCRAT’S ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION POSITIONS COULD COME BACK TO HAUNT HIM IN BID TO OUST TED CRUZ The financial struggles of the RNC and Trump campaign have attracted the attention of both the DNC and Biden campaign, who enjoy a joint fundraising agreement, allowing them to raise money collectively and capture a massive advantage heading into the election year. “The RNC is already cash-strapped and chaotic, and trading one extreme out-of-touch Trump loyalist for another is not going to fix their problem. Donald Trump is going to be their nominee, and they clearly can’t afford it financially or electorally,” DNC spokesperson Alex Floyd told Fox News Digital, referencing the likelihood Trump’s RNC picks could end up in leadership roles. “How Trump and his allies burn through what little cash they have is up to them – our campaign is investing our record-setting haul where it counts: reaching out to voters early and often,” Biden campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika told Fox News Digital. The RNC did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
White House calls on world leaders to help stop ‘reckless’ Houthi attacks after civilian sailors killed
White House officials are calling on governments around the world to join efforts to stop Iranian-backed Houthi rebels from attacking cargo ships in the Middle East, after three civilians were killed Wednesday when missiles fired by the terrorist group struck a bulk carrier transiting the area of the Red Sea. The Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier True Confidence was traveling through the Gulf of Aden at about 11:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, when it was targeted by Houthi missiles, forcing the survivors to abandon ship. “Today, the Houthis have killed innocent civilians by continuing their reckless attacks against international commercial shipping, which impacts countries throughout the world,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters during a press briefing. “These reckless attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis have not only disrupted global trade and commerce but have also taken the lives of international seafarers simply doing their jobs.” She continued by saying the White House offers its condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. YEMEN’S HOUTHIS KILL 2 SAILORS IN FIRST FATAL ATTACK ON RED SEA SHIPPING SINCE HAMAS MASSACRE The White House also condemned the Houthis for the attacks and called on governments from around the world to do the same by joining the U.S. in bringing the “appalling attacks” to a halt. U.S. Central command said Wednesday’s attack resulted in three fatalities and at least four injuries, of which three are in critical condition. The ship was also severely damaged and has been evacuated. It is now drifting. USS CARNEY SHOOTS DOWN DRONES, MISSILE FIRED BY HOUTHIS IN YEMEN The full extent of the damage to the ship remained unclear, but the crew abandoned the ship and deployed lifeboats. A U.S. warship and an Indian Navy vessel were on the scene, trying to assist in rescue efforts. The Houthis have been targeting ships in the Red Sea and its surrounding waters since November 2023. In response, the U.S. and the U.K. have launched “self-defense” airstrikes against Houthi targets inside Yemeni territory. HOUTHI MISSILE ATTACK SETS SHIP ABLAZE IN GULF OF ADEN Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, wrote on Wednesday that the attack on the True Confidence was carried out in “retaliation to the American-British aggression against our country.” The operators of the ship told Reuters that it was hit about 50 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Aden. There were reportedly 20 crew members on board the ship, as well as three armed guards, they added. U.S. Central Command said this is the fifth anti-ship ballistic missile fired by Houthis over the past two days. Two of the missiles struck two shipping vessels, including the MSC Sky II and True Confidence, while a third missile was shot down by the USS Carney. On March 2, the United Kingdom-owned M/V Rubymar sank in the Red Sea after being struck by a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile two weeks prior. “We currently assess that the damage sustained to the undersea cables in the Red Sea is a result of the Houthis’ Feb. 18 missile attack against the M/V Rubymar, which has now sunk,” U.S. Army Major Pete Nguyen said. “The damage sustained to the M/V Rubymar as a result of the Houthi attack forced the crew to drop anchor and abandon ship. Preliminary assessments indicate the anchor dragging along the seafloor is likely to have cut the undersea cables that provide internet and telecommunications service around the world. Ongoing Houthi attacks have also hindered attempts to repair the cables. Despite their claims to the contrary, this incident highlights how the Houthis’ reckless actions can detrimentally impact others in the region.” Fox News’ Greg Norman and Meghan Tome contributed to this report.
Former Virginia delegate acquitted of felony charges in hit-and-run case
A former Virginia lawmaker has been acquitted of felony hit-and-run and malicious wounding charges after being indicted last year for striking his ex-girlfriend with his SUV after they argued. The jury reached a verdict Tuesday following Matt Fariss’ trial in Campbell Circuit Court. Fariss, who served in the House of Delegates for 12 years, was convicted of a less serious charge of improper driving and ordered to pay a $500 fine. VIRGINIA LAWMAKER’S COURT HEARING POSTPONED AFTER JUDGE FAILS TO APPEAR IN HIT-AND-RUN CASE During the trial, Fariss’ ex-girlfriend, Julie Miles, testified that one of the SUV’s tires lost air and Fariss pulled into a parking lot to fix it. She said Fariss was looking for a jack when he called his son to ask for a tool. Miles said Fariss became “irate and vulgar,” and she started to walk toward a relative’s house up the road. Miles said Fariss began driving and yelling at her to get back in the car. He then turned toward a driveway and struck her with his SUV leaving her with a bruised knee and wrist, Miles said. Fariss testified that when he made the turn, he thought Miles threw his phone at him in the car, which caused him to duck. He said Miles then made contact with the side of the car, pushing the side mirror in. Fariss’ attorney, Chuck Felmlee, said the charges brought against his client were “overkill.” “If Matt’s intent was to harm Julie … He did a horrible job,” Felmlee said. Fariss, who served in the House as a Republican, ran as an independent in 2023 but lost to Republican Eric Zehr.
ICE catches Guatemalan illegal immigrant convicted of child sex offense who was released in Virginia
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Wednesday that it had caught an illegal immigrant who was convicted of a child sex offense, but was later released onto the streets in Virginia, despite an ICE detainer. ICE announced that it had arrested a Guatemalan illegal immigrant who was convicted in February of aggravated sexual battery on a minor. He had been arrested in 2022. On Feb 9 of this year, he was convicted in Richmond, Va., and was sentenced to 20 years in jail, ICE said. However, the court suspended 18 years and two months of his sentence. He was then released by the Richmond City Jail on Feb 21. ICE had issued a detainer – a request that they be notified before the immigrant is released from custody and to keep them until ICE can take custody of them. However, it was ignored and the Guatemalan illegal immigrant sex offender was released onto the streets. WHITE HOUSE CALLS FOR SANCTUARY CITIES TO COOPERATE WITH ICE AMID FUROR OVER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMES On the same day, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operation (ERO) branch in Washington located him and he fled. According to the agency, after a brief pursuit, they caught him and took him into custody. “This convicted sex offender represented a significant threat to the residents of our Virginia communities,” ERO Washington, D.C. Field Office Director Liana Castano said in a statement. “His apprehension highlights the danger caused when jurisdictions have policies in place which restrict information sharing between state or local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. This noncitizen fled from our officers, placing himself, our officers, and the general public in danger during the course of the pursuit, which could have been avoided if ERO had been afforded the opportunity to assume custody in a secure setting — in accordance with an immigration detainer and federal law,” Castano said. Fox has reached out to the Richmond Sheriff’s Office for comment. The unnamed Guatemalan has a lengthy history tracing back to 2017 when he was first encountered after entering illegally. He was arrested by Border Patrol in Arizona and released with a notice to appear at an immigration court. He was ordered removed in 2019. NYC MAYOR CONTINUES CALLS FOR SANCTUARY CITY AMENDMENT TO ALLOW DEPORTATION OF VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS He was arrested in August 2019 in Richmond for driving under the influence. A detainer for his arrest was then also not honored, ICE said. He was convicted but the 90 day sentence was also suspended. Again, ICE picked him up after his release, this time deporting him to Guatemala. He then re-entered the U.S. again at an unknown date, time and location, meaning he entered as a “gotaway” for the second time. It was in Feb. 2022 he was arrested in Florida for a Virginia warrant for carnal knowledge of a child, and he was later extradited to Richmond. The arrest comes as the practice of ignoring ICE detainers has come under scrutiny after a spate of high-profile illegal immigrant crimes. The White House recently told Fox News Digital that it would like help from states in turning criminals over to ICE. “We welcome local law enforcement’s support and cooperation in apprehending and removing individuals who pose a risk to national security or public safety,” a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital last week in response to a question about its stance on sanctuary cities. “When a local jurisdiction has information about an individual who could pose a threat to public safety, we want them to share that information with ICE.” “Just since May 12, DHS has removed or returned more than 565,000 individuals — the vast majority of whom crossed the Southwest Border. 565,000 removals and returns is more than every full fiscal year since 2013,” they said.
Laken Riley’s parents won’t be at Biden’s State of the Union, will grieve loss from home: Rep. Mike Collins
The parents of Laken Riley, a college nursing student who was recently killed on the University of Georgia campus, will not attend President Biden’s State of the Union speech on Thursday, choosing instead to stay home and give the loss of their daughter, said U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga. Collins said he invited Riley’s parents but that they chose not to attend. “Therefore, the seat reserved for my guest will remain vacant to honor Laken and all American victims of illegal alien crime,” he posted on social media Wednesday. Riley, 22, was killed while jogging on trails around the college campus. Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national who was living illegally in the United States, has been charged with her murder. LAKEN RILEY MURDER: ATHENS-CLARK COUNTY SHERIFF CAMPAIGNED ON NOT ‘COOPERATING’ WITH ICE: ‘CULTURE OF FEAR’ The killing has prompted outrage and scorn against Biden over his immigration policies. “As Joe Biden attempts to paint a rosy picture of the crime-ridden country he has created, he will look up at an empty seat that memorializes those we’ve lost because of his open border policies,” Collins wrote. In response to the murder, the Republican lawmaker introduced the Laken Riley Act, which would require immigration authorities to detain illegal immigrants charged with theft or burglary. Collins has said the bill would work to prevent similar tragedies as a result of open southern border policies. TRUMP SAYS HE SPOKE TO ‘DEVASTATED’ PARENTS OF LAKEN RILEY, BLASTS BIDEN BORDER CRISIS ‘LIKE A WAR’ A combined rule for the consideration of a financial services bill and the Laken Riley Act was passed by a narrow 214-211 vote on Wednesday. No Democrats voted in favor. The legislation now moves to the next phase of voting in the House where it will be debated. Before being charged with felony murder, Ibarra was once arrested in New York for endangering a child, and he was cited in Georgia for misdemeanor shoplifting in October 2023 along with his brother, Diego Ibarra, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Under the terms of the bill, the Laken Riley Act would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to issue a detainer for illegal aliens charged or cited with local theft or burglary. It will head for a general debate in the House on Thursday.
On the eve of the State of the Union address, President Biden is struggling — with his own party
President Biden faces two opponents heading into the election. Former President Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee. And then Mr. Biden must square off against Democrats who are despondent at the president’s performance. Anemic poll numbers are driving loyal Democrats away from President Biden. “The challenges that Joe Biden has with his own party, his own base, are the biggest challenges he’s facing in this election,” said David Cohen, a political scientist at the University of Akron. “He has a lot of issues with younger voters in the party. I think that can be directly linked to what’s happening overseas in the Middle East.” CONGRESS TRIES TO AVOID A SHUTDOWN—AGAIN Consider how progressives are hectoring the president over how his administration is handling the war between Israel and Hamas. “We are requesting a meeting with President Biden,” said Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., “We are demanding an immediate, lasting ceasefire.” Michigan is a state which is critical to Mr. Biden’s reelection campaign. It boasts 15 electoral votes. More than 100,000 voters marked their ballot as “uncommitted” in the Democratic primary last month rather than cast a ballot for President Biden. The president only captured the state by about 154,000 votes in 2020 over former President Trump. There are about 200,000 Muslim voters in Michigan. 300,000 voters say they have ancestral ties to the Middle East or North Africa. That bloc of voters was key to President Biden winning the state four years ago. “The results in Michigan this week made it plain voters are not happy with the United States’ handling of the war in Gaza. And President Biden must change course,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., a member of the Squad. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is a Palestinian-American. She implored the president to alter his course on the Middle East. “Listen to us! Listen, not only to Michigan. But so many people. The majority of people are supporting a ceasefire,” beseeched Tlaib. A reporter then asked Tlaib if she will “vote for President Biden in November.” “Thank you very much,” replied Tlaib. “Thank you.” WHO IS JASON PALMER, THE OBSCURE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WHO DELIVERED BIDEN’S FIRST 2024 LOSS? Tlaib then walked away. “A lot of younger voters, Gen Z, millennials are very unhappy with the Biden administration’s full support of Israel,” said Cohen. “He cannot afford to have any slippage in the Democratic coalition and lack of enthusiasm. I don’t think those young Biden supporters that voted for him in 2020 are going to vote for Trump. But the worry for the Biden campaign is that they’re going to stay home.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., sidestepped when yours truly asked if President Biden should make a pivot away from Israel in his State of the Union speech to satisfy the left. “I’m not speculating about what the President should say in the State of the Union,” replied Schumer. Vice President Harris first called for a ceasefire. The President said he’d like a ceasefire by the start of Ramadan – March 10 or 11. But it’s unclear if the administration can get what it wants from the Israelis, despite taking a harder line stance. But it’s just not Middle East policy which is turning off key sectors of the Democratic coalition. Via executive order, President Biden has erased a staggering $138 billion in student loan debt for 3.9 million borrowers. But that hasn’t been enough to placate some Democrats. They want it all wiped out. And then there is the border. Democrats are exasperated at Republicans incinerating a bipartisan border package earlier this winter after months of negotiations. But the administration’s approach to securing the border is nearly as galling to the left. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have long been outraged that the administration and other Democrats failed to engage them in border talks. Some liberal Democrats are angry that the now-dead bipartisan plan went too far modifying asylum and parole. WHO’S LEADING IN BIDEN-TRUMP ELECTION REMATCH AFTER SUPER TUESDAY Then there are mainstream Democrats and swing voters. They fear a surge of undocumented migrants racing across the southern border into the U.S. High-profile deaths like nursing student Laken Riley in Georgia only amplify their worries. The murder suspect – Jose Ibarra – was cited for shoplifting and endangering a child. Republicans quickly drafted a bill to require the detention of illegal migrants if they have brushes with the law. “If we can we put a national spotlight on this thing, we’ll do it,” said Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., who represents the district where Ibarra was killed. “If we can just prevent one of these (deaths) from happening again, we’ve done our job.” That’s why the House planned a vote on the “Laken Riley Act’ just before President Biden’s State of the Union speech Thursday. This is an effort to focus attention on the border amid the president’s address. Collins asked Riley’s parents to attend the speech. But they are home grieving. Collins says he’ll leave his guest seat in the public gallery overlooking the House chamber vacant in honor of Riley. But it’s not just Republicans who are infuriated about the border – even if many on the right incinerated a bipartisan border security package President Biden endorsed earlier this winter. Democrats of all stripes are now demanding enhanced border security. Out of desperation, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., told Fox that he now supports a chunk of the House GOP’s strict border bill, known as H.R.2. That bill cracks down on illegal immigrants in the country and mandates that employers document their workers. Fetterman is so focused on tightening up the border that he wants H.R.2 – with an exception for “DACA” – a delay in the deportation of persons who came to the U.S. without documentation as children. “Anything other than that can be on the table for me,” said Fetterman. The Pennsylvania Democrat referred to the Republicans’ plans on DACA as his “kill switch.” But he was game for anything else. “As a
Senate Commerce Republicans expand probe into airports in ‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions sheltering migrants
FIRST ON FOX: Republicans on the Senate Commerce Committee are expanding their investigation into the sheltering of migrants at airports in “sanctuary” jurisdictions – seeking information from two additional port authorities on how many migrants have been kept at airports, how it is being funded and the potential risks it may pose. In letters to the Port Authorities of New York/New Jersey and Massachusetts, the lawmakers, led by Ranking Member Ted Cruz, ask for more information about the sheltering of migrants – specifically at John F Kennedy International Airport and Boston Logan International Airport. In New York, where migrants are kept in Building 197, the housing was in the spotlight in February when an Ecuadorian national ran past armed security into a secured area and was arrested with a box cutter and a pair of scissors. ILLEGAL MIGRANTS ARE SLEEPING IN TERMINALS OF BOSTON AIRPORT ON ‘DAILY’ BASIS AS CRISIS OVERWHELMS SHELTERS In Logan Airport, the lawmakers cite reports that migrants are sleeping on the floors of Terminal E, where migrants are being seen on a “daily basis.” “Frankly, what you’ve seen at Logan has been the situation, and this is why I said months ago that we are reaching capacity here,” Gov. Maura Healey said in January. The lawmakers quizzed Chicago on the matter earlier this year, and have warned that federal assistance to airports are conditioned on the airport and facilities being made available for public use as an airport. The lawmakers say the sheltering of migrants brings that into question. “Housing illegal aliens at airports is unprecedented and far beyond the scope of the FAA’s vision for a nationwide system of airports,” they say in the letter to New York and New Jersey. “FAA policy prohibits the use of aeronautical facilities on airport property for non-aeronautical purposes.” SENATE COMMERCE REPUBLICANS PROBE MIGRANT SHELTERS AT CHICAGO AIRPORTS They describe the sheltering of migrants as a “warped repurposing of America’s aviation system” and link it to “open border policies” pursued by the far-left and the Biden administration, as well as “sanctuary” policies embraced by those states. They cite statistics showing that ICE detainers – requests to transfer an illegal immigrant charged with crimes – are frequently ignored in New York, NYC, Massachusetts and Boston – including those charged with assault, rape, sexual assault and other violent crimes. The lawmakers sent lengthy lists of questions to both port authorities, seeking copies of licenses and waivers, requests for numbers of migrants living or sheltering in the facilities, information regarding security breaches and information about any consultation with ICE or other federal authorities. Fox reached out to both port authorities. NY/NJ said it was reviewing the letter. CHICAGO’S O’HARE AIRPORT USED AS A MIGRANT SHELTER AS CRISIS OVEWHELMS CITY: ‘LIKE A SCENE FROM MAD MAX’ They also ask about funding and whether the authorities have been reimbursed, whether taxpayer funding has been used and whether elected officials directed or encouraged the housing of immigrants at the airport. Senators on the letters include Cruz as well as Sens. Ted Budd, R-N.C., J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, Todd Young, R-Ind., and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. The letters come as the three-year border crisis remains a fiery political topic, and comes days after both President Biden and former President Donald Trump visited the southern border. Republicans blame the border crisis on the policies of the Biden administration, including reduced interior enforcement, the reversal of Trump-era policies and releases into the interior. Biden has called on the Senate to pass a bipartisan bill that includes funding and resources to the border, as well as limits on entries into the U.S. But conservatives say it would normalize an excessive level of crossings.