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Trump not immune from prosecution in 2020 election case, federal appeals court rules

Former U.S. President Trump is not immune from prosecution in the 2020 federal election case, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday. The U.S. Court of Appeals – D.C. Circuit considered Trump’s claim of presidential immunity from prosecution for his actions in office, including his alleged role in overturning his 2020 election loss, ultimately saying it was “unpersuaded by his argument” and ruled a case against him can proceed.  “We have balanced former President Trump’s asserted interests in executive immunity against the vital public interests that favor allowing this prosecution to proceed,” the court wrote in its ruling Tuesday.  It added: “We conclude that the interest in criminal accountability, held by both the public and the Executive Branch, outweighs the potential risks of chilling Presidential action and permitting vexatious litigation.” TRUMP TRIAL DELAYED IN CASE STEMMING FROM SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH’S JAN. 6 INVESTIGATION The legally untested question before the court is whether former presidents can be prosecuted after they leave office for actions taken in the White House related to their official duties. In the case, Trump claimed both that he had presidential immunity and that the case violated a double jeopardy clause, as he was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives over his alleged involvement. He was acquitted after the U.S. Senate did not vote to convict him of the charge. The two defenses were among four arguments Trump’s legal team pursued in arguing the court should reject the case. In Dec. 2023, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over the case, rejected Trump’s arguments saying the office of the president “does not confer a lifelong ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ pass.” On Tuesday, the federal appeals court similarly rejected these claims. It concluded that “concerns of public policy, especially as illuminated by our history and the structure of our government,” as argued by the prosecution, compel “the rejection of his claim of immunity in this case.” And, it wrote: “We also have considered his contention that he is entitled to categorical immunity from criminal liability for any assertedly ‘official’ action that he took as President — a contention that is unsupported by precedent, history or the text and structure of the Constitution. Finally, we are unpersuaded by his argument that this prosecution is barred by ‘double jeopardy principles.’ Accordingly, the order of the district court is AFFIRMED,” it wrote. Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley said the outcome is not particularly surprising to legal experts but that it could impact or expedite the legal schedule for Trump, who continues to seek re-election.  The former president is expected to appeal the decision, putting his case — the first of its kind — before the country’s highest court. Trump has up to 90 days to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. The trial date carries enormous political ramifications and Trump hopes an eventual decision will be delayed until after the November election.  Should that happen and if Trump defeats President Biden, he could presumably try to use his position as head of the executive branch to dismiss the case. He could also potentially seek a pardon for himself, although such a situation has no precedent. Last month, the Supreme Court appeared to signal that it preferred to stay out of the process when it rejected a request from special counsel Jack Smith to take up the matter quickly and issue a speedy ruling. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Nigeria vs South Africa: CAF AFCON 2023 semifinal preview

Who: Nigeria vs South AfricaWhat: CAF AFCON 2023 semifinalWhen: Wednesday, February 7, 2024, 17:00 GMTWhere: Stade Bouake, Ivory Coast Nigeria have a major concern over the fitness of African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal with South Africa on Wednesday. The Super Eagles striker missed the squad’s flight from Abidjan to Bouake on Monday after complaining of abdominal discomfort. Before that, the 25-year-old had been ever present for his side at the tournament and has scored 21 goals in 32 international appearances. “Team medics confirmed that he has been placed under close watch with a member of the medical team staying behind in Abidjan with him,” Nigeria said on Tuesday on the social media platform X. “He will join the rest of the squad before 5pm, if cleared by tomorrow [Wednesday] morning.” Members of the team traveled from Abidjan to Bouaké today via a 10pm Air Cote D’Ivoire flight. Osimhen did not however make the trip as a result of an abdominal discomfort. Team medics confirmed that he has been placed under close watch with a member of the medical team staying… pic.twitter.com/G39LqaKcVA — 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) February 5, 2024 Osimhen, who was the leading scorer in Serie A last season with champions Napoli, has scored only once in five matches so far at the tournament. His performance and work rate, however, were praised as “fantastic” by his coach Jose Peseiro after the 2-0 round of 16 victory against Cameroon. Peseiro added that the striker’s ability off the ball is just as prolific as his goal-scoring ability. “Nobody can win a match alone – everyone has to play – but he is a good example,” the coach said. This is Nigeria’s record-equaling 16th semifinal appearance in their 20th AFCON tournament. Only seven-time champion Egypt has played as many semifinals although the Pharaohs have played in 26 tournaments. Wednesday’s game against the Bafana Bafana is a repeat of the semifinal in 2000 when Nigeria won 2-0 in Lagos. Nigeria won the last of its three titles in 2013 while South Africa’s only win came in 1996. 𝙏𝙊 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙎𝙀𝙈𝙄-𝙁𝙄𝙉𝘼𝙇𝙎! 🔥 Four teams. One aim. ✨#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/YGNyqzUsDc — CAF (@CAF_Online) February 3, 2024 South Africa have grown into the tournament after an opening 2-0 defeat against Mali in the group stage. Bafana Bafana finished second in their group thanks to a goalless draw with Tunisia in their final match, which eliminated the 2004 finalists. Tournament favourites Morocco were overcome in the round of 16. South African coach Hugo Broos admitted that another victory, the quarterfinal win on penalties against Cape Verde, was his side’s worst performance at the tournament as he believed nerves got the better of the players. Broos himself is no stranger to AFCON success and does appear to have the Midas touch at the competition. The former Belgium international won the continental title with Cameroon in 2017, taking a side given little chance before the start all the way to the winners podium and now, seven years later, has led equally unfancied South Africa to the last four. Before the tournament, Broos, who was handed a five-year contract in 2021, had won 11 of 22 games and, after initially using players only under 26 to rebuild the side, was forced to abandon those plans when the youngsters were not delivering. But his Cup of Nations record is impressive even if the statistics belie some lucky escapes. His Cameroon side reached the knockout stage in 2017 only after a brilliant last-gasp save by young goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa denied hosts Gabon the winner after they struck the post in the last minute. Cameroon went on to edge Senegal in the quarterfinals on penalties and then beat Ghana and Egypt to win the title. After Bafana Bafana advanced to the semifinals, Broos’s Cup of Nations record now reads five wins and five draws with a single loss in 11 games over the two editions. South Africa were fortunate to see off Cape Verde on Saturday when goalkeeper Ronwen Williams made an astonishing series of saves in the post-match shootout. The stopper also pushed a late Blue Sharks effort onto the bar in the dying seconds of normal time. Many believed the round of 16 match-up between Osimhen and Cameroon and Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana was going to be one of the highlights of the tournament. Onana, though, was benched for the second consecutive game. All of Nigeria and all neutrals around the world will be hoping a face-off between Williams and Osimhen is not also denied by the latter’s medical concerns. Our first training session in Bouake, at Lycee Technique. Semi final loading… #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 #AfCON2023 #BafanaPride pic.twitter.com/HmoomTmXTE — Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) February 5, 2024 Form Nigeria remain unbeaten at the tournament after their win against Ivory Coast along with two draws in the group stage. Cameroon were overcome 2-0 in the round of 16 while Angola were seen off 1-0 in the quarterfinals, which means the Super Eagles have not conceded a goal since their tournament opening draw with Equatorial Guinea. Similarly South Africa’s strength has been their defence, and they too have not conceded since their opening loss to Mali. The penalty win against Cape Verde in the quarterfinals will have put a lot of fatigue into the Bafana Bafana bodies, especially after the momentous win against Morocco in the round of 16 Nigeria: D W D W W South Africa: D W D W W Nigeria team news Osimhen’s abdominal complaint overshadows the build-up to the semifinal, and it will be all eyes on the Super Eagles striker to see if and when he departs Abidjan to link up with the squad in Bouake. Predicted XI: Nwabali, Ajayi, Troost-Ekong, Bassey, Aina, Onyeka, Iwobi, Sanusi, Simon, Lookman, Osimhen South Africa team news South Africa have no new injury complaints going into the semifinal. Fatigue will be their greatest concern after the victory on penalties against Cape Verde. Whether that influences

Nevada’s duelling Republican primary and caucus thwart Haley-Trump rematch

The latest contest in the United States presidential primary season is set to be a Republican doubleheader, with not one but two races in a single state. The problem is, only one will carry weight in the battle for the party nomination. This week, Nevada, a battleground state in the southwest, is set to host both a Republican primary and a Republican caucus — rival events poised to spur voter confusion. The US already has a notoriously idiosyncratic election process. In the lead-up to a presidential election, candidates compete for delegates in state-level votes in order to receive major party nominations. Whoever wins the most party delegates becomes the nominee. Typically, states hold either a primary or caucuses to determine how their party delegates are divided up. But a clash between Nevada’s state politicians — and the Nevada branch of the Republican Party — has resulted in both a primary and a caucus being held. But on February 6, Nevada will organise a state-run primary, as mandated by a recent state law. However, the Republican Party is protesting the vote and will award no delegates to the victor. Two days later, however, the party will host its own caucuses: a series of meetings where registered voters gather, debate and decide which candidate to support. The winner will receive all of the state’s 26 delegates. With former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley competing in the primary — and ex-President Donald Trump in the caucus — the top two Republican candidates are effectively in two separate state races. Why are there two races? The duelling events underscore a schism between the Republican Party in Nevada and state election officials. In 2021, Nevada’s state legislature — which was dominated by Democrats at the time — passed a law that required the state to hold a presidential primary. That represented a major break from tradition, as the state had held party-run caucuses for decades. But officials argued the change was necessary: Caucuses are relatively rare and widely criticised for being inaccessible, as they require voters to attend in-person meetings to participate. Democrats also pointed to delays in the announcement of the 2020 caucus results as justification for the switch. The Republican Party in Nevada swiftly raised concerns that the state-run primaries did not require voter identification and allowed mail-in voting. It argued that both factors could lead to widespread fraud, a position that has been regularly disproven. However, the new law mandating state-run primaries did not preclude parties from continuing to hold caucuses. So that is exactly what the Republican Party did. “The caucus requires Voter ID and features paper ballots, completely transparent vote tabulation, same-day results and no mail-in ballots or same-day registration,” the state Republican Party said in a statement in October. “It is a crucial event in the political calendar because it provides Nevadans with a unique opportunity to voice their preferences and play a pivotal role in shaping the direction of our country.” What’s the benefit of having a caucus? Critics have argued that the state’s Republican Party opted to hold caucuses because that style of contest is more likely to benefit Trump. Caucuses require a significant time investment from voters. As a result, they tend to attract more committed political supporters. Some observers have also noted the chair of the state Republican Party, Michael McDonald, is an avid Trump supporter. He and five other Republicans falsely certified a 2020 victory for Trump in the state, a move for which he was later indicted. Under McDonald, the party has set strict rules for candidates to participate in the caucus. Presidential hopefuls had to cough up a $55,000 entry fee to take part. The Republican Party also prohibited candidates from participating in both the primary and its caucuses. Haley, who opted to run in the primary, said, “The caucuses have been sealed up, bought and paid for.” “That’s the Trump train rolling through that,” she said in New Hampshire, adding her campaign will focus on the states that are “fair”. Her campaign is instead focused on the fourth race in the Republican primary calendar, in her home state of South Carolina. She previously served as governor there. Haley previously placed third in the Iowa caucuses and lost to Trump by 11 percentage points in New Hampshire. Could both Haley and Trump win? Yes, they could each win their own separate races. But only the caucuses matter for the eventual party nomination. Haley is running essentially unopposed in the Nevada primary, although registered Republicans could opt for a “none of the above” option in the voting booth. In the party-run caucuses, Trump is expected to crush Ryan Binkley, a Republican pastor leading a long-shot campaign. So is it a done deal? On the surface, the two Nevada races are relatively inconsequential, but a few scenarios could make the outcomes interesting. The news website Axios reported disquiet in the Trump camp: Campaign officials fear that confusion and poor organising could result in a low turnout — which could, in turn, raise questions about Trump’s appeal in the key battleground state. Meanwhile, if Haley performs comparatively well in the state-run primary, she could give Trump’s campaign a black eye. For its part, Haley’s campaign has barely poured any resources into Nevada. That could be a mistake though, according to Nevada political analyst John Ralston. “Truth is [Nevada] should have mattered, but Haley botched the opportunity,” he wrote on the social media platform X. “Early states are NOT about delegates, but about momentum and narrative.” Adblock test (Why?)

Israel should be disqualified from Eurovision 2024: European politicians

The organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest are under increasing pressure to exclude Israel from this year’s competition as it wages a devastating war on Gaza. More than 20 politicians wrote to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) on Tuesday saying Israel’s participation in the contest “whitewashes a regime that is carrying out ethnic cleansing in Palestine and committing war crimes and genocide”. European Parliament members and politicians from Spain’s left-wing Podemos party are among the signatories of the letter seen by Al Jazeera. The annual contest is set to take place in May at Sweden’s Malmo Arena after Swedish singer Loreen won last year. The politicians behind the letter acknowledged that the EBU, which is a group of public media organisations, wants Eurovision to remain a non-political event. “However, the Eurovision Song Contest did veto Russia’s participation in the contest from 2022 in response to its invasion of Ukraine. Also, in 2019, Iceland was fined by the festival organisers because the Icelandic contestant displayed a Palestinian flag at the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv,” they said. “Israel’s participation is in clear conflict with what the EBU claims to stand for, as it misinforms about Israel and conceals its genocidal behaviour,” they added. Thirty-seven countries will participate this year. Israel became the first non-European country to participate in 1973 and hosted the pop culture event in Tel Aviv in 2019. Entry to the contest is open to all members of the EBU. Besides the European politicians, musicians in Sweden, artists in Finland, and protesters in Norway and Ireland have sent letters to the EBU urging public broadcasters to exclude Israel from the contest. Iceland, meanwhile, is reconsidering its participation if Israel is allowed to compete this year. At the time of publishing, the EBU had not responded to Al Jazeera’s request for comment. Israel accuses everyone of terrorism to continue massacring the Palestinian people with total impunity. We must prevent its participation in any international event that allows it to whitewash its barbarism, such as Eurovision. pic.twitter.com/g8A1BiUCSh — Ione Belarra (@ionebelarra) February 4, 2024 ‘Boycott Eurovision’ Eurovision, which began in 1956, is an international music pageant watched and adored by millions of viewers. But this year, some fans said they will join protests against Israel by boycotting the contest and turning off their screens should it be allowed to participate. “I’m a huge Eurovision fan. It should just be a bit of fun, but we all know behind the glitz and glamour, geopolitical games are at play,” Ciara Greene, a Belgium-based fan told Al Jazeera. “The day after Russia invaded Ukraine, it was rightly excluded from the song contest. Allowing Israel to participate contributes to Israeli exceptionalism and normalises the state’s genocidal policies.” In Sweden, home to the 1974 Eurovision winner Abba, famous musicians like Robyn have also signed a letter calling out the competition’s alleged double standard. “It’s hard to not be political with music,” said Ida, a 33-year old student in the Swedish capital, Stockholm. “If Israel were to take part, I think most just wouldn’t vote for them and make their displeasure known.” [embedded content] Israel is reportedly planning to announce its entry on Tuesday. Brian Donnelly, a human rights activist in Ireland, organised a campaign designed to pressure RTE, Ireland’s representative broadcaster in the Eurovision Song Contest, into urging the EBU to disqualify Israel. “We heard this strategy worked when Russia invaded Ukraine,  but in our case, we have not yet got a reply from RTE,” Donnelly told Al Jazeera. “If Israel takes part, it will help their PR campaign of normalising what they’re doing to the Palestinian people.” Claire Charles, a marketing manager from France, said Israel’s inclusion was a sign of “Western hypocrisy”. “All these public institutions are useless. Western governments are useless. Murder and occupation and war and genocide continues to happen,” she told Al Jazeera. “Excluding Russia last time reveals the blatant racism of not excluding Israel this year.” Adblock test (Why?)

Setback for Sharad Pawar as EC rules in favour of nephew Ajit’s faction, calls his party ‘real’ NCP

The Election Commission (EC) also allotted the NCP symbol ‘Wall Clock’ to the group led by Ajit Pawar.

Democrat Suozzi running for George Santos seat takes heat for 2019 post on ICE amid New York’s migrant crisis

New York Democrat Tom Suozzi, running in a special election next week for former Rep. George Santos’ vacant seat, is taking heat from his opponent over a resurfaced social media post in which he shared a guide appearing to instruct migrants on how to deal with ICE agents in the event of raids promised by then-President Trump in 2019.  Suozzi, who previosly represented New York’s 3rd Congressional District for six years during a lengthy career in Long Island politics, wrote on Facebook on July 12, 2019, announcing that he would be traveling to Texas later that day “to shine a light on the conditions at migrant detention centers at our southern border.”  “Meanwhile, the President is threatening to launch massive raids targeting thousands of immigrants. This is just wrong! People should not have to live in constant fear, nor should they be used as pawns,” Suozzi wrote, referring to Trump. “Our nation is founded on the basic idea that EVERY person has rights. Know yours.”  The post, which was still visible on the “Rep. Tom Suozzi” Facebook account as of Tuesday morning, added, “Attached, please see a list of what you can do if ICE comes knocking.”  It included a guide branded by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) titled “If ICE Agents Show Up At Your Door.” It says, “don’t open the door, but be calm. You have rights;” “Ask what they are there for, (and ask for an interpreter if you need one.” The guide goes on to say, “if they ask to enter, ask if they have a warrant signed by a judge and if so, ask to see it (through a window or slipped under the door). The ACLU instructs, If they do NOT have a warrant signed by a judge, you may refuse to let them in. Ask them to leave any information at your door.”  NEW YORK DEMOCRAT ADMITS ‘DEMOCRATIC BRAND’ IS UNPOPULAR IN NYC: ‘BIDEN IS UNDERWATER’ BUT ‘SO IS TRUMP’ “If they force their way in, don’t resist. Tell everyone in the residence to remain silent,” it says. “If you are arrested, remain silent and do not sign anything until you speak to a lawyer.” The guide clarifies that “an ICE administrative warrant (form I-200, I-205) does not allow them to enter your home without your consent.”  Fox News Digital reached out to Suozzi’s campaign on Tuesday seeking comment.  Mazi Pilips, a former Israel Defense Forces soldier and relative political newcomer serving as a Republican county legislator, is running for Congress against Suozzi in the Feb. 13 special election. She said the 2019 post demonstrates that Suozzi “can’t run away from his record of supporting Joe Biden’s open borders, sanctuary cities, and lawlessness.” “It is not surprising that he would publish a guide on how migrants can evade federal ICE agents,” Pilips said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “I will secure our borders, make sure we deport migrant lawbreakers, and fix the sanctuary city mess that Suozzi and Biden have created.” On Monday, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., held a bipartisan press conference in Times Square with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, calling on New York City to restore cooperation with ICE in the wake of the beatings of two NYPD officers allegedly by a gang of migrants later arrested and released.  Though the migrant attack on police received a lot of media attention, Malliotakis cited more than 1,000 arrests of migrants in connection to crimes ranging from assault, grand larceny, stabbings and even a murder at the Roosevelt shelter.  “What’s troubling, the most perhaps, is that NYPD’s hands are tied, and they are prohibited by City Council’s laws of 2014 from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to have these individuals detained and deported,” she said.  IDF VETERAN TURNED NY GOP PICK TO REPLACE GEORGE SANTOS VOWS TO TAKE ON ‘SQUAD,’ SLAMS SUOZZI AS FAKE MODERATE Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed measures into law dramatically reducing the city’s cooperation with federal immigration officials in 2014 that were later codified into citywide guidance and NYPD protocols in 2018 during the Trump administration. Pressed on those laws handcuffing federal agents at his own news conference Monday, current Democrat New York City Mayor Eric Adams appeared to laugh off questioning over the sanctuary policies, stating, “I didn’t pass the law.”  “I think that should be presented to the city council. And here’s the only area of the law that I think should be examined. And I’ve made it clear – you repeatedly commit felonies, dangerous crimes. Once, if you’re found guilty, you should not be in our city. That’s what I believe, and ICE can execute warrants, ICE can have a role here,” Adams said. “No one is stopping ICE from doing their job. They have a job to do. When you deal with dangerous people such as that. I cannot use city resources based on existing law.”  “We all have a role here. The role of the police department is to arrest. The role of the prosecutors is to prosecute and the role of the federal government, if a person is found guilty of a crime, is to deport. And I think deport after they serve their sentence here for the crime that they committed. So I don’t have the power,” he said.  The race between Suozzi and Pilips is considered key amid Democrats’ hope to retake the House majority in 2024. In a recent interview with CNN, however, Suozzi acknowledged how Long Island has been shifting more purple and red in recent years – as the deep blue New York battles crime and the influx of tens of thousands of migrants from the southern border.  “It’s a very tough seat. Democrats have been losing everything on Long Island and northeast Queens for the past three years. The Democratic brand is in trouble here, and we have to do a lot to overcome that,” Suozzi told CNN, attempting to bill himself as a moderate Democrat despite Republican

Iran announces visa-free entry for Indians under these conditions

The visa-free entry has been rolled out for Indian citizens from February 4 subject to four conditions, the Iranian embassy said.

Budget session to be extended by a day till Feb 10

The government plans to table a ‘white paper’ comparing the state of the Indian economy before and after 2014, sources said.The session, which began on January 31, was otherwise slated to end on February 9.

White House says ‘fairest, toughest’ border bill is ‘moment of truth’ for Republicans

EXCLUSIVE: The White House on Tuesday said the bipartisan Senate border bill provides “a moment of truth for House Republicans,” declaring that the way in which GOP lawmakers vote will “define the legacy of their narrow majority” in Congress. Fox News Digital obtained a memo penned by White House deputy press secretary and Senior Communications Adviser Andrew Bates, titled: “Will the House GOP vote with the Border Patrol to secure the border, or for more fentanyl and Donald Trump?” HOUSE SPEAKER SAYS SENATE BORDER BILL ‘DEAD ON ARRIVAL’ IF IT REACHES CHAMBER: ‘EVEN WORSE THAN WE EXPECTED’ In the memo, Bates touted the Senate’s bipartisan $118 billion border security and foreign aid package. The bill allocates $20 billion for border security and gives the federal government temporary authority to expel migrants when the average number of daily crossings exceeds a threshold. The border security component also includes ending “catch and release,” increasing standards for asylum screenings and attempting to process asylum claims quicker. While it has some Republican support in the Senate, House GOP lawmakers, like House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the bill would be “dead on arrival” if it reaches the lower chamber and said it is “even worse than we expected.” Republicans say the bill does not do enough to remedy the border crisis and stop releases of illegal migrants into the interior. “The bipartisan border security deal is the toughest, fairest, and most significant border security legislation in decades,” Bates wrote in the memo, saying it has gained support from the Border Patrol Union, the Chamber of Commerce and more. 5 KEY DETAILS IN CONTROVERSIAL SENATE BORDER DEAL Bates, detailing the bill, pointed to more than 1,500 new U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel; 1,200 new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel; equipment to help to detect fentanyl and thousands of new asylum officers. The bill also includes a provision that allows officials to shut down entries into the United States at the southern border, but only when there is a rolling seven-day average of 5,000 encounters a day or 8,500 encounters in a single day. At that point, DHS is mandated to expel all migrants without processing them, except for unaccompanied children. That authority can only end when encounters drop at least 25% for seven days, and DHS has 14 days to end the authority. However, the president can suspend the authority for up to 45 days, and by the third calendar year, the DHS secretary is limited to using it for half the calendar year. DHS can also implement the authority at its discretion when the average number of encounters exceeds 4,000 a day. GOP SENATORS DEMAND ‘ADEQUATE TIME’ TO REVIEW BORDER SECURITY BILL The bill also expedites two-year work permits for migrants who are released into the interior; provides government-funded legal counsel for migrants and children; tightens language for screening of migrants who claim asylum; work permits and temporary visas for 250,000 children of immigrants on temporary work visas who have since become adults; raises the cap on the number of green cards by 50,000 a year and more. The bill also establishes an expedited pathway for Afghans who were evacuated to the U.S. to get green cards. “This is a moment of truth for House Republicans,” Bates wrote. “After opposing the record border security funding Joe Biden has signed into law every year of his presidency, will the House GOP finally say ‘yes’ to securing our border and putting the needs of families above partisan games?” Bates added, “Will House Republicans say ‘yes’ to more law enforcement like Border Patrol, whose union supports this bipartisan deal, or will they instead say ‘yes’ to more fentanyl and to Donald Trump’s insistence that border security be delayed in the name of politics?” MIGRANT CRISIS BROKE NEW RECORD IN DECEMBER WITH 302K ENCOUNTERS, OFFICIALS CONFIRM Bates said Republicans have a “critical choice” that “will define the legacy of their narrow majority.”  “And it is House Republicans’ last meaningful chance to stop blocking the President from securing the border, a streak that goes back to their obstruction of his Day One comprehensive immigration reform plan,” Bates said. However, Republicans are adamantly opposed, like Sens. Tom Cotton, Mike Lee, Mike Braun, Bill Hagerty, and others, and it also has significant opposition in the House. “I’ve seen enough,” House Speaker Johnson wrote on X. “This bill is even worse than we expected, and won’t come close to ending the border catastrophe the President has created. As the lead Democrat negotiator proclaimed: Under this legislation, ‘the border never closes.’” “If this bill reaches the House, it will be dead on arrival,” the speaker declared. GOP SENATORS RALLY AGAINST BIPARTISAN BORDER DEAL, CITING BIDEN’S POWER TO SUSPEND ‘EMERGENCY’ BILL House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said the Senate bill would not receive a vote in the lower chamber. Scalise oversees the schedule in the House. “Let me be clear: The Senate Border Bill will NOT receive a vote in the House,” Scalise wrote on X. “Here’s what the people pushing this ‘deal’ aren’t telling you: It accepts 5,000 illegal immigrants a day and gives automatic work permits to asylum recipients — a magnet for more illegal immigration.” Additionally, former President Trump, the 2024 GOP frontrunner, warned Republicans that “only a fool or a Radical Left Democrat” would vote for the “horrendous” bill which “only gives shutdown authority after 5,000 encounters a day, when we already have the right to CLOSE THE BORDER NOW, which must be done.”  “This bill is a great gift to the Democrats, and a Death Wish for the Republican Party,” Trump posted on his Truth Social, adding that the bill should not be tied to foreign aid. Trump warned Republicans: “Don’t be STUPID!!!” “The Democrats broke Immigration and the Border,” Trump continued. “They should fix it.” In a separate post, Trump said the “ridiculous bill” is “nothing more than a highly sophisticated trap for Republicans to assume the blame on what the Radical Left Democrats have done to

Biden responds after Trump calls for an ‘immediate’ presidential debate

President Biden responded to former President Trump’s challenge to an “immediate” debate on Monday. Trump had issued the challenge during a Monday radio appearance with conservative commentator Dan Bongino, saying a debate would be “good” for the country. “I’d like to debate him now because we should debate. We should debate for the good of the country,” Trump said. Biden was asked about Trump’s comments later that day while campaigning in Nevada. BIDEN IS LYING LOW AHEAD OF SUPER BOWL AS COMMENTATORS WORRY THAT HE IS SEEN AS ‘NOT IN CONTROL’ OF THE NATION “Immediately? Well, if I were him, I’d want to debate me, too. He’s got nothing else to do,” Biden told reporters. With Trump holding a commanding lead in the GOP primary, the outlook for general election debates is uncertain. The Republican National Committee withdrew from the Commission on Presidential Debates in 2022, and Trump himself has called the organization “corrupt.” BIDEN SKIPPING SUPER BOWL SUNDAY INTERVIEW FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR “They’re totally corrupt. They’re totally Democrat-leaning, that’s being nice when I use the word leaning,” Trump said in December, according to NBC News. “They are totally corrupt, and they’re terrible. With that being said, I would do 20 debates even if it was organized by them. I’ll do as many debates as they want. I’d do a debate every night with this guy. But he’ll never show up to a debate.” Trump’s newfound willingness to debate comes after he flatly rejected calls to debate his challengers in the GOP primary race. WHAT BULLY PULPIT? WHY BIDEN STAYS OFF TELEVISION DURING BIG BREAKING NEWS Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, the sole remaining challenger to Trump, participated in multiple debates with other candidates while Trump was absent. Trump and his campaign argue that his massive lead in GOP polls freed him of any obligation to debate distant challengers. The debate commission has so far scheduled three general election debates, though neither Trump nor Biden have publicly agreed to them. The debates are scheduled for Sept. 16 at Texas State University in San Marcos, Oct. 1 at Virginia State University in Petersburg, and Oct. 9 at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, according to NBC.